To Change The Future
by kitkatieisme
Summary: When James receives a mysterious letter, gets his friends, and goes to the Room of Requirement, he doesn't expect to be given the chance to change the future. Join them on their quest to rewrite their stories with some help from some kids from the future. ON HIATUS.
1. Sorceror's Stone

**Dear James Potter:**

**There is a matter that you, and a few others, must help us resolve. This is urgent. Please gather Lily Evans, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Alice Prewett, and Frank Longbotton and meet me in the Room of Requirement and 12:00 tomorrow.**

**Good luck,**

**Professor McGonagall**

"Hey, Padfoot! Look at what I got!" yelled James across the room to his best friend.

"Prongs, I don't care! I'm tired!" Sirius yelled back. James got up and handed the letter to Sirius.

"Read it."

Sirius read it through once, twice, three times then shoved it back at James. "Looks like we gotta go, doesn't it."

"Yeah" James replied.

"Hey. What are you doing?" asked a voice from behind them. James whipped around and found himself face-to-face with Remus.

"Reading a letter." Sirius told him.

"From who? Can I read it?" asked Moony.

"Sure."

Just then, James spotted his recent girlfriend of 4 weeks coming down the stairs from the girls dormitory. "Lils!" he called. "Look at this letter we got from McGonagall!"

This attracted a few odd looks from people in the common room including:

"Frank, Alice, you got over here, too!" All three dutifully walked over and read the letter after James shoved it at Lily. "So do you think we should go?"

"Of course!" said Lily, who naturally liked to do everything a teacher tells her to do, especially if it was McGonagall.

So the next day, the six of them marched to the Room of Requirement to find McGonagall waiting for them.

"What's up, Minnie?" asked Sirius.

"Hello. You must be wondering why I called you here," she said, and when she was answered with a few nods, she continued. "I am not the McGonagall you all know, I am from 25 years in the future."

There was silence, and then a few nervous chuckles. Answers ranging from "What? Impossible!" to "Are you all right, Professor?"

McGonagall waved them off. I brought you some books to read, published in 1997."

Lily grabbed the book and flipped it open. "It's true," she announced, awed. "It was published in 1997."

After everybody checked, McGonagall told them, "The room is to lock until you finish them. If you wish to change your future, you must give me your wands. The room will provide everything you need."

"Sorry, Professor," started James, "But why would we want to change our futures?"

"Well," said McGonagall briskly, "I am from 25 years in the future, by which time you will all be dead. Or worse."

Silence.

"Your wands?" asked McGonagall. And one by one they all handed her their wands and she led them inside. There were already people sitting there.

There was a boy who looked like James, a redheaded boy, a girl with bushy brown hair, a redheaded girl, a round-faced boy, a blonde, dreamy looking girl, and a baby sitting in James' miniature's lap.

"I'll let you all make introductions," she stated, and then she left the room.

They all stared at each other until the blonde girl said, "Well, I guess I'll start. I'm Luna," she told them. "Luna Lovegood."

James Jr. version said "I'm Harry Potter," and James' head snapped up.

"You're my son?" he asked

The boy nodded and continued. "And this is Teddy Lupin." Now it was Remus's turn to look shocked.

"I can't…I'm not…I'm a…" he sputtered.

"You can and you did," said Harry firmly while Teddy's hair turned turquoise.

Sirius lit up. "He's a metamorphogus! That's so cool!" he crowed.

After they all finished making their introductions, including an ecstatic Frank and Alice when their son introduced himself, and an ecstatic Lily when he learned Ginny was her sons girlfriend, they all sat down on the couches and chairs the room had provided and Harry pulled out a book. "I'll start," he said.

And he started to read.

**Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.**


	2. The Boy Who Lived

**EDITED AND REVISED...  
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Sirius went wide-eyed. "Woah. Is that me? I mean, I lived, didn't I?

Hermione stared at him, before turning back to Harry. "ANYWAYS...keep reading?"

**"Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much."**

"Oh come on," sing-songed Luna. "What's the fun in being normal?"

**They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense. Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills.**

"Drills?" Everybody looked to either Lily or Hermione.

"It's a muggle tool used to help build things." Lily explained.

**He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large moustache. **

"He should be proud," muttered Ron. A few people chuckled.

**Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbors.**

"Woah…" muttered Lily. "Petunia alert! I know it!"

**The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere.**

"So then how'd they pass school?" asked Neville, casually. Harry laughed in spite of himself, which made Neville grin.

**The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters.**

"There's nothing wrong with the Potters!" yelled James, looking rather offended.

"Yeah!" agreed Sirius. "They're awesome."

James grinned. "Right. The proof is that they put up with you."

"Hey!"

**Mrs. Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister, **

"Really? That means…You say…Oh Lily…That means you say yes!" James exclaimed grinning like an idiot. And so were the other Marauders.

"And it means you're my husband!" Lily squealed. Alice joined in.

Once everyone had calmed down, Harry started reading again.

**but they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister,**

All the giddiness dissipated at that. How could you ignore your own sister?

**because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as unDursleyish**

"Is that a word?"

"No." Hermione and Remus.

**as it was possible to be. The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbors would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son, too, but they had never even seen him. This boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that.**

"Woah what's she saying about my son?!" exclaimed Lily and James.

"That I'm a wizard," sighed Harry, and continued reading.

**When Mr. and Mrs. Dursley woke up on the dull, gray Tuesday our story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country. Mr. Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work, and Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his high chair.**

"Most boring tie?" asked Ron.

"Gossiped away happily?" questioned Frank.

"Wrestled a screaming Dudley?" wondered Lily.

"That is one extremely dysfunctional up family," mused James.

"Got that right," replied Harry.

**None of them noticed a large, tawny owl flutter past the window.**

**At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs. Dursley on the cheek, and tried to kiss Dudley good-bye but missed, because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls.**

"Prat."

**"Little tyke," chortled Mr. Dursley as he left the house. **

"He encourages it?" screamed Alice.

**He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive. It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar — a cat reading a map.**

"Minnie!" announced the Marauders.

Neville looked at them questioningly. "Er…how do you know that?"

"Do normal cats read maps?" James shrugged.

**For a second, Mr. Dursley didn't realize what he had seen — then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of the light.**

"Why do muggles refuse to see what's being put in front of them?" wondered Luna. And nobody had an answer for her.

**Mr. Dursley blinked and stared at the cat. It stared back. As Mr. Dursley drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. It was now reading the sign that said Privet Drive — no, looking at the sign; cats couldn't read maps or signs.**

"Unless they're Minnie!" grinned Remus.

**Mr. Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove toward town he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day, but on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else. As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks.**

"…What's wrong with cloaks?" asked several people.

Hermione explained, "Muggles don't usually wear them."

"Oh."

**Mr. Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes — the getups you saw on young people! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdoes standing quite close by. They were whispering excitedly together.**

Lily frowned. "We're usually more careful."

"Maybe something really good happened?" suggested Remus.

"Maybe."

**Mr. Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all; why, that man had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald-green cloak! The nerve of him! But then it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt —these people were obviously collecting for something…yes, that would be it. The traffic moved on and a few minutes later, Mr. Dursley arrived in the Grunnings parking lot, his mind back on drills.**

"What fun?"

**Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor. If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning. He didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight, though people down in the street did; they pointed and gazed open-mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead.**

"Again, we're being reckless."

James rolled his eyes. "We got that, Lils."

**Most of them had never seen an owl even at nighttime. Mr. Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more.**

"Now _there's_ my idea of a good day," grinned Ginny.

Everyone laughed.

**He was in a very good mood until lunchtime, when he thought he'd stretch his legs and walk across the road to buy himself a bun from the bakery.**

"And there's his daily exercise," said Sirius.

More laughter.

**He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy. This bunch were whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying.**

**"The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard —"**

**" — yes, their son, Harry —"**

"Oh, that's you," Luna told Harry.

"Yeah…"

**Mr. Dursley stopped dead. Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it.**

"Man up!" muttered Alice.

**He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone, and had almost finished dialing his home number when he changed his mind. **

**He put the receiver back down and stroked his mustache, thinking… no, he was being stupid.**

"Now how could he possibly think that?" mused Ginny sarcastically while Ron and the Marauders pretended to stroke imaginary mustaches.

**Potter wasn't such an unusual name. **

"Yes it is. There's only one Potter family," said James.

Harry laughed. "Hate to burst your bubble, but we're not that special. There's more in the muggle world."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

James's eyebrows furrowed. "Why?"

"I dunno." Harry looked at him weirdly.

**He was sure there were lots of people called Potter who had a son called Harry. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure his nephew was called Harry.**

"HOW does he not know his nephew's name!" screamed Alice, outraged. "That's not acceptable!" Neville grinned at his mum, and Frank grabbed her hand.

**He'd never even seen the boy. It might have been Harvey. Or Harold. There was no point in worrying Mrs. Dursley; she always got so upset at any mention of her sister. **

Anger quickly faded to sadness and Alice got up to give her best friend a hug.

**He didn't blame her — if he'd had a sister like that…**

"What's she saying about my future wife?" shouted James.

"I'm a wizard," muttered Lily.

Sirius held his head in his hands. "Whoa. Déjà vu."

**but all the same, those people in cloaks…**

**He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door.**

"How graceful," Neville grinned.

**"Sorry," he grunted, as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. **

"He said sorry?" James looked on with interest.

**It was a few seconds before Mr. Dursley realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passersby stare, "Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last!**

It was quiet until the room erupted in cheers and chants and happy dances.

"WOOT! HE'S GONE! NO MORE MOLDY VOLDY!"

Sirius and James and Remus did a sort of Indian rain dance or something and chanted, "He's gone! He's gone! He's gone! He's gone! He's gone!"

Harry looked quite solemn, but let the celebration continue. After nearly 10 minutes, everybody got settled down again and Harry began to read.

**Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!"**

**And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle and walked off.**

"2 galleons says he couldn't reach all the way around!" laughed Ron.

Hermione grinned. "No one's dumb enough to take that bet, Ron."

**Mr. Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off for home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination.**

Sirius looked appalled. "Why not?"

"Because imagination is extremely dangerous," replied Remus in a fake matter-of-fact voice.

**As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw—and it didn't improve his mood — was the tabby cat he'd spotted that morning.**

"Miinie's still there!" Sirius shook Remus's shoulders and screamed.

**It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had the same markings around its eyes.**

"Definitely Minnie," grinned James.

**"Shoo!" said Mr. Dursley loudly.**

"Ha!" said Lily. "He thinks that'll work."

**The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look.**

Harry, Ginny, Ron, Frank, Neville, James, Sirius, and Remus all cringed, having been on the wrong side of that look a few too many times.

**Was this normal cat behavior? Mr. Dursley wondered. **

Ginny asked the book condescendingly, "Shouldn't you know how cats behave?"

**Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife. Mrs. Dursley had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learned a new word ("Won't!").**

"Prat."

**Mr. Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening news:**

_**"And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern." The newscaster allowed himself a grin. **_

_**"Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?"**_

_**"Well, Ted," said the weatherman,**_

"You think it's Ted Tonks? He's always been into this muggle stuff," said Sirius.

Everybody shrugged.

_**"I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early — it's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight."**_

"The excuses people are willing to make up for magic," mumbled Frank distractedly.

**Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters… Mrs. Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good.**

"How do you make bad tea?" exclaimed James. "You boil the water, you put the tea pouch in! End of story!"

**He'd have to say something to her. **

James rubbed the back of his neck. "Ohh…I get it now…"

**He cleared his throat nervously. "Er — Petunia,** **dear — you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?"**

**As he had expected, Mrs. Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister.**

James hugged Lily tighter to his body.

**"No," she said sharply. "Why?"**

**"Funny stuff on the news," Mr. Dursley mumbled. "Owls… shooting stars… and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today…"**

**"So?" snapped Mrs. Dursley.**

"Temper, temper," chided Sirius. Everybody laughed.

**"Well, I just thought… maybe… it was something to do with… you know… her crowd."**

"Her crowd?" Sirius questioned.

"Wizards and witches."

**Mrs. Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr. Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name "Potter." He decided he didn't dare. **

"Friggin' tell her already!" Frank laughed.

**Instead he said, as casually as he could, "Their son — he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?"**

**"I suppose so," said Mrs. Dursley stiffly.**

**"What's his name again? Howard, isn't it?"**

Lily turned to James. "We are not naming our kid Howard."

"We won't let you name your kid Howard," said Sirius, gesturing to himself and Remus.

**"Harry. Nasty, common name, if you ask me."**

"I like the name Harry," said James distractedly.

**He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr. Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down Privet Drive as though it were waiting for something.**

"Why isn't she celebrating?"

**Was he imagining things? Could all this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did… if it got out that they were related to a pair of — well, he didn't think he could bear it.**

**The Dursleys got into bed. Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr. Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters were involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs. Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he** **and Petunia thought about them and their kind… He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on — he yawned and turned over — it couldn't affect them…**

"Yes, let's hope."

**How very wrong he was.**

"Damn."

**Mr. Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting as still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed on the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all.**

**A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground. **

"He apparated, you idiot," Ron rolled his eyes.

**The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed. Nothing like this man had ever been seen on Privet Drive. He was tall, thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt.**

"Dumbledore!" yelled everybody in the room.

**He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled boots. His blue eyes were light, bright, and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. **

Again, everybody screamed, "Dumbledore!"

**This man's name was Albus Dumbledore.**

"Ha! Told you!" yelled everybody in the room, before replying to everyone else, "I didn't doubt you!"

**He clicked it again — the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left on the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyed Mrs. Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. **

"That is SO cool! I want one!" yelled Sirius.

Ron smirked at him and slipped it out of his pocket. "Too bad, it's mine." Which caused Sirius to pout and look at it enviously.

"It will be mine," he cackled suddenly. "Mine!"

Ron stealthily slipped it back into his pocket.

**Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street toward number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.**

**"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."**

"Minnie!" shouted the Marauders.

**He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled. "How did you know it was me?" she asked.**

"Dumbledore knows everything," said Ginny mysteriously.

"He could be in this room right now," continued James. "He could know we're reading." Harry glanced around quickly and announced, "All clear!"

**"My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly."**

**"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said Professor McGonagall.**

**"All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here."**

"Bet we were at one!" exclaimed Remus.

"Bet we threw one!" countered Sirius.

No one bothered with the sad looks on all of the future peoples' faces.

**Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily.**

**"Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right," she said impatiently. "You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no — even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news."**

**She jerked her head back at the Dursleys' dark living-room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls… shooting stars… Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent — I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense."**

"Isn't Dedalus that Hufflepuff in 5th year?" asked Lily.

"Yeah, he never did have much sense," replied Frank.

**"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years."**

"Eleven years? So only four more years of Voldemort!" said Remus, happily.

**"I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumors."**

**She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. "A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore?"**

**"It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore.**

"He's such a naïve man…"

**"We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a lemon drop?"**

"A what?" asked Ron.

James fished out a box of lemon drops. "Candy," he explained. "Dumbledore's favorite."

"Err…why do you have some?" Neville questioned.

"Dumbles gave me them," he shugged.

Frank asked, "Dumbles?" but Harry ignored him and kept reading.

**"A **_**what**_**?"**

"A candy," Ron explained to the book. "Strange, isn't it?" Everybody just sorta looked at him.

"**"A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of."**

**"No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for lemon drops. "As I say, even if You-Know-Who has gone —"**

Celebration broke out briefly, before Harry started to read over their voices.

**"My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this 'You-Know-Who' nonsense — for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: Voldemort."**

**Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was unsticking two lemon drops, seemed not to notice. "It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who.' I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name." **

**"I know you haven't," said Professor McGonagall, sounding half exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know- oh, all right, Voldemort, was frightened of."**

**"You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have."**

"But that's because Dumbledore is _too mega awesome_ to use them!" exclaimed Sirius.

**"Only because you're too — well —noble to use them."**

"You could word it like that, too…"

**"It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs."**

"Too much information," mumbled Ginny and James, before grinning at each other.

**Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, "The owls are nothing next to the rumors that are flying around. You know what they're saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?"**

**It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever "everyone" was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another lemon drop and did not answer.**

"…Can I have another lemon drop," Ron asked. James grinned and fished the box out.

**"What they're saying," she pressed on, "is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters.**

"But Harry's alive, so it can't be that bad, right?" asked Lily

James narrowed his eyes. "Still, why did he come after my family?"

**The rumor is that Lily and James Potter**. **The rumor is that Lily and James Potter are — are — that they're — dead."**

"Bloody hell no," whispered Sirius. "No, it's not true!" He repeated it like a mantra, hoping maybe if he denied it enough it wouldn't be true.

Tears began falling down Lily and Alice's face, and James, Sirius, Remus, and Harry all went extremely pale.

"Well, we're changing this right?" encouraged Ginny. "We're trying to change this so you guys don't die."

She was answered with some nods, and half an hour later, after everybody stopped crying and comforting and being in shock, everyone settled down and Harry began to read again.

**Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped.**

**"Lily and James… I can't believe it… I didn't want to believe it… Oh, Albus…"**

"She really likes you guys," said Remus softly.

**Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I know… I know…" he said heavily.**

**Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's son, Harry.**

"NO!" shouted James and Lily instinctively.

Harry smiled. "Right here?"

"…right…"

**But he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke — and that's why he's gone."**

"Our son defeated Voldemort?" said James weakly.

"Yup!" grinned Ron.

**Dumbledore nodded glumly.**

**"It's — it's true?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done… all the people he's killed… he couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding… of all the things to stop him… but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?"**

**"We can only guess." said Dumbledore. "We may never know."**

"He knows," guessed Hermione.

Everybody agreed. "He definitely knows."

**Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though,**

"Of course it did. Aren't all watches like that?" said Neville.

Hermione shook her head. "Not in the muggle world. Their watches just have numbers on them instead."

"Oh."

**because he put it back in his pocket and said, **

**"Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"**

**"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you're here, of all places?"**

**"I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now."**

"NO!" shouted Lily. "No, he can't go there!"

Simultaneously, James yelled, "You can't be serious, Dumbledore!"

**"You don't mean – you can't mean the people who live here?" cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. "Dumbledore — you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son — I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry Potter come and live here!"**

"Yeah, Minnie, talk him out of it!" shouted Ron.

Harry rolled his eyes. 'Okay, you of all people _know_ that won't work."

"It was worth a try," shrugged Ron.

**"It's the best place for him," said Dumbledore firmly. "His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter."**

"A WHAT? He thinks he can write a letter and everything will be okay?" surprisingly, this shout came from Remus. After he was finished with his pronouncement, he growled so low and fiercely, Neville began inching away from him. James, Sirius, Ron, and Ginny, however, were too busy agreeing with Remus to bother.

**"A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand him! He'll be famous — a legend — I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in the future — there will be books written about Harry — every child in our world will know his name!"**

**"Exactly." said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! Can you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?"**

"He has a small point…" said Lily weakly.

"It's no excuse," said Ginny firmly. "Those people are terrible."

**Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed, and then said, "Yes — yes, you're right, of course. But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it.**

Lily growled. "He better not have my baby under his cloak."

**"You think it —wise — to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?"**

"I would trust Hagrid with my life!" exclaimed James.

**"I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore.**

"You think like Dumbledore," Sirius told James happily.

"Creepy," said Neville.

"No, it's cool," argued the Marauders.

**"I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor McGonagall grudgingly, "but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to — what was that?"**

**A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky — and a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.**

"COOL!" screamed Sirius. "I WANT ONE!"

**If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild— long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of trash can lids, and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.**

**"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?"**

**"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got him, sir."**

"HA! IT"S MINE! SUPER COOL AWESOME BIKE IS MINE!" cackled Sirius.

"But, mate, why didn't you take Harry?" asked James. "I mean, you're godfather and you know we hate these people."

Lily shot James a look. "And when exactly did we decide that Sirius was going to be godfather?"

"Well, I told Padfoot he could be godfather to my first born," explained James, and when Lily's look didn't fade from her face he added. "We could name Alice godmother if you want."

"Okay!" said Lily cheerfully, most of her annoyance gone. "But it's a good point. Where are you?" she asked Sirius.

"I don't know," replied Sirius. "This hasn't happened yet. I can't tell you."

**"No problems, were there?"**

**"No, sir — house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right before the **

**Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol."**

"Aww," cooed Lily and Alice.

**Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.**

All eyes immediately went to Harry and then flicked up to his scar. Harry just sighed, a bit annoyed.

"That gets annoying," he muttered.

**"Is that where —?" whispered Professor McGonagall.**

**"Yes," said Dumbledore. "He'll have that scar forever."**

**"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"**

**"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground.**

"Too much information…again," mumbled Ginny and James…again.

**Well — give him here, Hagrid — we'd better get this over with."** **Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned toward the Dursleys' house.**

**"Could I — could I say good-bye to him, sir?" asked Hagrid. He bent his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. **

"I love Hagrid," nearly everybody sighed.

**Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.**

"Hey, I resent that!" yelled Sirius, affronted, and Remus kicked him in the shin. Lily, Alice, Frank and most likely the future didn't know that, so there was no way he could spill their secret now. The trio just looked on amusedly.

**"Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall, "You'll wake the Muggles!"**

**"S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large, spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. "But I c-c-can't stand it —Lily an' James dead — an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles —"**

**"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found," Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets, and then came back to the other two.**

"He left my baby on a doorstep with a letter," growled Lily.

**For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously, and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.**

They all frowned at that.

"That's never a good sign…"

**"Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations."**

**"Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "I best get this bike away. G'night, Professor McGonagall — Professor Dumbledore, sir."**

**Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.**

"Yeah, he has to return it to me!"

**"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.**

**Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once, and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four.**

**"Good luck, Harry," he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.**

"That man has hell to pay…"

**A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs. Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles, nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley… **

They all growled.

**He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter — the boy who lived!"**

"That's the end of the chapter" Harry said heavily, putting the book on the table. Lily reached over to pick it up.

"Chapter two: **Vanishing Glass…"**


	3. The Vanishing Glass

A/N: Alright, chapter 2 everyone! Thanks to everyone who alert/favorited my story, but a special thanks to

**TayaCurragh**

**MrsFredWeasley98**

**PureAwesomeness13**

for reviewing my story. You guys are the reason I keep writing!

* * *

><p>"<strong>"The Vanishing Glass,<strong>" Luna read.,"

"I wonder what that means," Sirius mused.

"It's probably some accidentally magic that Harry cast," Frank said reasonably.

**Nearly ten years had passed since the Dursleys had woken up to find their nephew on the front step, but Privet Drive had hardly changed at all. The sun rose on the same tidy front gardens and lit up the brass number four on the Dursleys' front door; it crept into their living room, which was almost exactly the same as it had been on the night when Mr. Dursley had seen that fateful news report about the owls. **

"That _fateful_ news report about the owls," says Remus. "Wow. Dramatic much?"

"Ha! You think _he's_ being dramatic? You've obviously never met Tuney!"

**Only the photographs on the mantelpiece really showed how much time had passed. Ten years ago, there had been lots of pictures of what looked like a large pink beach ball wearing different-colored bonnets — but Dudley Dursley was no longer a baby, **

"That was a lovely description of a baby," Lily giggled.

**and now the photographs showed a large blond boy riding his first bicycle, on a carousel at the fair, playing a computer game with his father, **

"What's a computer?" the purebloods asked.

"It's really cool. You can do just about anything on it, from playing games to looking something up at the click of a finger," Hermione explained.

"Muggles can't do magic," James said.

"No, but some of their technology is almost as good," Lily replied.

**being hugged and kissed by his mother. The room held no sign at all that another boy lived in the house, too. **

"Maybe he's not?" said Sirius hopefully.

**Yet Harry Potter was still there, **

"Damn."

**asleep at the moment, but not for long. His Aunt Petunia was awake and it was her shrill voice that made the first noise of the day. **

"**Up! Get up! Now!" **

"Not the nicest way of getting woken up," James said.

"It's not, trust me," Lily said.

**Harry woke with a start. His aunt rapped on the door again. **

"**Up!" she screeched. Harry heard her walking toward the kitchen and then the sound of the frying pan being put on the stove. He rolled onto his back and tried to remember the dream he had been having. It had been a good one. There had been a flying motorcycle in it. He had a funny feeling he'd had the same dream before.**

"It wasn't really a dream Harry," Remus said. "Though I don't really know what to call it, I doubt you would remember that from when you were a baby."

"Maybe subconsciously?"

**His aunt was back outside the door. **

"**Are you up yet?" she demanded. **

"**Nearly," said Harry. **

"**Well, get a move on, I want you to look after the bacon. And don't you dare let it burn, I want everything perfect on Duddy's birthday." **

"…They're making a ten year old cook? Why can't they do it themselves!" exclaimed Alice.

"Seriously," agreed Ginny, "what if he burns himself or something?"

**Harry groaned. **

"You don't like your cousin's birthday?" Lily asked.

" I don't like any occasion where they have reason to spoil he more then usual." Harry replied.

"**What did you say?" his aunt snapped through the door. **

"He didn't say anything, he just groaned," James said.

"**Nothing, nothing…" **

**Dudley's birthday — how could he have forgotten? Harry got slowly out of bed and started looking for socks. He found a pair under his bed and, after pulling a spider**

"Ew," Ron said because of his fear of spiders.

**off one of them, put them on. Harry was used to spiders, because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them, and that was where he slept. **

"WHAT?" screamed everybody in the room.

"How dare they…They made my baby sleep in a cupboard!" Lily said sharply, clearly torn between crying for him and being angry at the Dursleys. It was unbelievable that someone could do that to a kid. It was also clear she had more to say, but she just couldn't find the words.

"Those horrible, evil gits…" James could be heard muttering, gritting his teeth together.

"You said it, Prongs," mumbled Ron.

**When he was dressed he went down the hall into the kitchen. The table was almost hidden beneath all Dudley's birthday presents. It looked as though Dudley had gotten the new computer he wanted, not to mention the second television and the racing bike.**

"Damn, they spoil him rotten," Sirius said, noting that Lily didn't reprimand him, which meant that she was still too upset to talk. "My parents don't even give Regulus that much."

**Exactly why Dudley wanted a racing bike was a mystery to Harry, as Dudley was very fat and hated exercise — unless of course it involved punching somebody.**

"That better not mean you, Harry," James said, he was still beside himself with anger.

"Well it looks like the Dursleys spoiled him to death," Alice said winkling her nose. "He's used to doing whatever he wants and the Dursleys don't care what happens to poor Harry. It's horrible, but it's not completely his fault."

"Yeah, but he can always make a choice," Frank said thoughtfully.

**Dudley's favorite punching bag was Harry, but he couldn't often catch him. Harry didn't look it, but he was very fast**.

"Well, at least there's that."

**Perhaps it had something to do with living in a dark cupboard, but Harry had always been small and skinny for his age. **

"No, sorry Harry, that just genes," Sirius said. "James was a scrawny git when we first meet too."

"Oi," James said, getting out of his foul mood.

**He looked even smaller and skinnier than he really was because all he had to wear were old clothes of Dudley's, and Dudley was about four times bigger than he was. Harry had a thin face, knobby knees, black hair,**

"Just like his old man," Sirius said.

**and bright green eyes.**

"He seems to have his mothers eye's though," James said dreamily looking at said woman's eyes.

**He wore round glasses held together with a lot of Scotch tape because of all the times Dudley had punched him on the nose. **

Everybody growled at that.

**The only thing Harry liked about his own appearance was a very thin scar on his forehead that was shaped like a bolt of lightning. **

"You liked the scar?" Neville ask.

"Well, yeah. It was something different and it was kind of cool. Plus, I really didn't know what it was from, yet. If I had known the horrible things that come along with with the scar, though..." Harry explained and Neville just shook his head, he couldn't believe that Harry ever like that scar, seeing how much it bothers him now.

**He had had it as long as he could remember, and the first question he could ever remember asking his Aunt Petunia was how he had gotten it. **

"**In the car crash when your parents died," she had said.**

"We didn't die in a car crash," Lily said, her anger flaring up again. "How could you lie to him like that? He deserves the truth."

"So, Harry, I was just wondering," Remus began. "Did you get your mother's temper or your fathers 'I just let everything roll off his shoulders and move on' attitude."

Harry just shrugged his shoulders.

"His mother's temper," Neville said quietly, causing both Lily and Harry to glare at him, and everyone else to laugh. "Sorry mate."

"**And don't ask questions." **

**Don't ask questions — that was the first rule for a quiet life with the Dursleys.**

"How is he supposed to learn, if he can't ask question?" Remus said indignantly, he took learning seriously.

"Exactly," Hermione said in total agreement.

**Uncle Vernon entered the kitchen as Harry was turning over the bacon. **

"**Comb your hair!" he barked, by way of a morning greeting.**

"That won't work," James said rubbing his own head.

"Yeah, the Potter hair is impossible to tame," Sirius laughed at his friend's and godson's glare. "Don't hate me because my hair is beautiful."

"What an idiot," Ginny mumbled, but all the boys, besides James and Harry seem to have found him funny.

**About once a week, Uncle Vernon looked over the top of his newspaper and shouted that Harry needed a haircut. Harry must have had more haircuts than the rest of the boys in his class put together, but it made no difference, his hair simply grew that way — all over the place. **

"The Potter CURSE!" said Sirius mysteriously.

**Harry was frying eggs by the time Dudley arrived in the kitchen with his mother. Dudley looked a lot like Uncle Vernon. He had a large pink face, not much neck, small, watery blue eyes, and thick blond hair that lay smoothly on his thick, fat head. **

"…Lovely."

**Aunt Petunia often said that Dudley looked like a baby angel — Harry often said that Dudley looked like a pig in a wig. **

"That's great, Harry!" laughed the Marauders.

**Harry put the plates of egg and bacon on the table, which was difficult as there wasn't much room. Dudley, meanwhile, was counting his presents. His face fell. **

"**Thirty-six," he said, looking up at his mother and father. "That's two less than last year." **

"Merlin, what a spoiled brat," Alice said.

"**Darling, you haven't counted Auntie Marge's present, see, it's here under this big one from Mummy and Daddy." **

"**All right, thirty-seven then," said Dudley, going red in the face. Harry, who could see a huge Dudley tantrum coming on, began wolfing down his bacon as fast as possible in case Dudley turned the table over. **

"Good idea," Sirius said knowing his own brother's temper tantrums.

"Just remember to chew," Lily said motherly.

Harry rolled his eyes at her and said, "That happened years ago, and I think I would remember choking to death."

"Oh, right, sorry," Lily blushed.

**Aunt Petunia obviously scented danger, too, because she said quickly, "And we'll buy you another two presents while we're out today. How's that, popkin? Two more presents. Is that all right?" **

"That is no way to deal with the situation," Alice said, looking appalled. "She's just going to make him worse."

**Dudley thought for a moment. It looked like hard work. Finally he said slowly, "So I'll have thirty… thirty…" **

"Godric, he can't even count!" James exclaimed.

"He's eleven, he really should know that," added Ginny.

"Yeah," shouted Sirius. "Even I know that!" He looked disbelieving, but quickly became indignant when everybody laughed at him.

"I didn't mean it like that!"

**"Thirty-nine, sweetums," said Aunt Petunia.**

"**Oh." Dudley sat down heavily and grabbed the nearest parcel. "All right then." **

**Uncle Vernon chuckled. **

"**Little tyke wants his money's worth, just like his father. 'Atta boy, Dudley!" He ruffled Dudley's hair. **

"Horrible, horrible parenting," Alice tutted.

**At that moment the telephone rang and Aunt Petunia went to answer it while Harry and Uncle Vernon watched Dudley unwrap the racing bike, a video camera, a remote control airplane, sixteen new computer games, and a VCR. **

"Those sound like expensive things, they needn't have bothered," Ron said. "He seems to care more about quantity then quality."

"I'm not so sure," Hermione said rolling her eyes in anger. "If he didn't get what he wanted..."

"I guess I see your point," Ron said.

**He was ripping the paper off a gold wristwatch when Aunt Petunia came back from the telephone looking both angry and worried. **

"**Bad news, Vernon," she said. "Mrs. Figg's broken her leg. She can't take him."**

"Figg, I've heard that name before," James said thoughtful, and Sirius, Remus and Lily looked thoughtful too.

"She works for the order," Frank said. "Or at least Arabella Figg works there."

**She jerked her head in Harry's direction. **

**Dudley's mouth fell open in horror, but Harry's heart gave a leap. Every year on Dudley's birthday, his parents took him and a friend out for the day, to adventure parks, hamburger restaurants, or the movies. Every year, Harry was left behind with Mrs. Figg, a mad old lady who lived two streets away. Harry hated it there. **

**The whole house smelled of cabbage and Mrs. Figg made him look at photographs of all the cats she'd ever owned. **

"Maybe it's not her then, I would think she would treat him better then that," Frank said.

"No it's her," Harry said. "She couldn't be nice to be, because then the Dursleys wouldn't have left me there if she was."

"That's horrible," Lily said. "Are they really that bad?"

"They make him live in a cupboard," Ginny said through gritted teeth.

"Right," Lily said closing her eyes and looking livid.

Harry just shrugged his shoulders.

"**Now what?" said Aunt Petunia, looking furiously at Harry as though he'd planned this. Harry knew he ought to feel sorry that Mrs. Figg had broken her leg, but it wasn't easy when he reminded himself it would be a whole year before he had to look at Tibbles, Snowy, Mr. Paws, and Tufty again. **

"That not very nice Harry," his mum reprimanded him.

"Sorry," he said smiling.

"**We could phone Marge," Uncle Vernon suggested. **

"**Don't be silly, Vernon, she hates the boy."**

"And I bet he hates her right back," stated James matter-of-factly.

Harry remembered his third year and laughed. "You could say that."

**The Dursleys often spoke about Harry like this, as though he wasn't there — or rather, as though he was something very nasty that couldn't understand them, like a slug. **

"That's horrible, how did you survive?" Frank asked.

"**What about what's-her-name, your friend — Yvonne?" **

"Ugh, no. Yvonne is worse than Petunia!" Lily groaned.

"**On vacation in Majorca," snapped Aunt Petunia. **

"Thank God."**  
><strong>

"**You could just leave me here," Harry put in hopefully (he'd be able to watch what he wanted on television for a change and maybe even have a go on Dudley's computer).**

"Unlikely, that would be too fun for you, Harry," Sirius said angrily.

**Aunt Petunia looked as though she'd just swallowed a lemon. **

"Good idea. She should," Sirius told the book, causing everyone to laugh and look at him strangely.

"**And come back and find the house in ruins?" she snarled. **

"What do they think your going to do, blow it up?" James said.

"Probably. And he should do it," replied Sirius.

"Why?" asked Lily.

"It would be perfect revenge," shrugged Sirius.

"**I won't blow up the house," said Harry, but they weren't listening.**

"Huh, maybe I'm like Harry, that's not so bad to be like," James said.

"Don't you mean that Harry's like you, he is your son after all?" Frank said.

"No, I, personally, think the other way is better, because no one in their right mind would want to be like Prongs," Sirius grinned.

"Oi, everyone wants to be like me," James smiled cockily.

"I feel sorry for you Harry," Remus said sadly.

"**I suppose we could take him to the zoo," said Aunt Petunia slowly, "… and leave him in the car…" **

"What is he, a dog?" Lily said indignantly.

"What's wrong with dogs?" Sirius asked indignantly which caused James, Remus and Harry to laugh. James raised his eyebrow at his son but didn't question him. Does he know about their secret endeavors at Hogwarts? He hadn't even told Lily yet, but he probably should, soon.

"There's nothing wrong with dogs, I just don't like him being compared to them," Lily said.

"Me neither, who wants to be a mangy beast," Harry smiled at his godfather. I guess that answers that question.

"**That car's new, he's not sitting in it alone…" **

"The car's new," Ginny said hotly. "What about Harry, who cares if he dies of heat exhaustion?"

**Dudley began to cry loudly. In fact, he wasn't really crying — it had been years since he'd really cried — but he knew that if he screwed up his face and wailed, his mother would give him anything he wanted. **

"**Dinky Duddydums, **

Everyone laughed, "I can't believe she actually calls him that."

"I almost feel sorry for him," Sirius laughed.

"Don't," Ginny advised.

**don't cry, Mummy won't let him spoil your special day!" she cried, flinging her arms around him. **

"**I… don't… want… him… t-t-to come!" Dudley yelled between huge, pretend sobs. **

**"He always sp-spoils everything!" He shot Harry a nasty grin through the gap in his mother's arms. **

"I don't feel so sorry anymore," Sirius said.

**Just then, the doorbell rang — "Oh, good Lord, they're here!" said Aunt Petunia frantically — and a moment later, Dudley's best friend, Piers Polkiss, walked in with his mother. **

"Bet you anything he stops crying now," Neville said.

**Piers was a scrawny boy with a face like a rat. He was usually the one who held people's arms behind their backs while Dudley hit them. Dudley stopped pretending to cry at once. **

"Ha. I was right," said Neville proudly.

**Half an hour later, Harry, who couldn't believe his luck, was sitting in the back of the Dursleys' car with Piers and Dudley, on the way to the zoo for the first time in his life. His aunt and uncle hadn't been able to think of anything else to do with him, but before they'd left, Uncle Vernon had taken Harry aside.**

"**I'm warning you," he had said, putting his large purple face right up close to Harry's, "I'm warning you now, boy — any funny business, anything at all — and you'll be in that cupboard from now until Christmas." **

"They can't do that," Lily said, her anger flaring up again.

"**I'm not going to do anything," said Harry, "honestly…" **

**But Uncle Vernon didn't believe him. No one ever did.**

"I don't think I like were this is going," Remus said thoughtfully.

"Why…" Sirius asked, but Remus just shook his head and motion for Frank to continue reading.

**The problem was, strange things often happened around Harry and it was just no good telling the Dursleys he didn't make them happen. **

**Once, Aunt Petunia, tired of Harry coming back from the barbers looking as though he hadn't been at all, had taken a pair of kitchen scissors and cut his hair so short he was almost bald except for his bangs, which she left "to hide that horrible scar." **

Sirius and Ron and Neville laughed at the mental image until Harry, James, and Lily all glared at them. They stopped at once.

**Dudley had laughed himself silly at Harry, who spent a sleepless night imagining school the next day, where he was already laughed at for his baggy clothes and taped glasses.**

"That's too bad mate," Frank said towards Harry. "Kids can be really hard."

"Ah, you get use to it," Harry said.

**Next morning, however, he had gotten up to find his hair exactly as it had been before Aunt Petunia had sheared it off. **

"The one good thing about the Potter hair," James grinned towards his son, and Harry grinned back.

**He had been given a week in his cupboard for this, even though he had tried to explain that he couldn't explain how it had grown back so quickly. **

"That's so unfair, how could they punished him for that," Lily hissed.

"Lils, it's the way they are," Alice said to her friend calmly. "They can't accept magic so they hate him reminding them about it."

"Exactly," Harry said bitterly.

"Hm," Remus sighed crossing his arms, he didn't like being right this time.

**Another time, Aunt Petunia had been trying to force him into a revolting old sweater of Dudley's (brown with orange puff balls). **

"That is ghastly. Whatever you do to that would totally be worth the punishment," Sirius said, causing everyone to laugh, although a little bitterness was still strung in the air.

**The harder she tried to pull it over his head, the smaller it seemed to become, until finally it might have fitted a hand puppet, but certainly wouldn't fit Harry. **

"Good one Harry," several people said at once laughing.

**Aunt Petunia had decided it must have shrunk in the wash and, to his great relief, Harry wasn't punished. **

"That was good, and no punishment! Way to go kiddo," Sirius laughed.

"Kiddo?" Harry said, glaring at his godfather, which just caused everyone to laugh. "I'm your age, Sirius."

"I wasn't talking to you, though," Sirius said proudly. "I was talking to the younger you."

"You do know that's a book, right? It can't hear you?" Harry said.

"Ah," Sirius said slowly, while the others laughed.

**On the other hand, he'd gotten into terrible trouble for being found on the roof of the school kitchens. Dudley's gang had been chasing him as usual when, as much to Harry's surprise as anyone else's, there he was sitting on the chimney. **

"You apparated," James said, astonished.

"I don't know," Harry said. "I might have flown."

"Nah, you can't just fly by yourself," James said dreamily. "Though I've always wanted to."

"Actually you can," Harry said thinking of Voldemort and Snape, and how he had seen them flying around. "And I know that mum made herself kind of hover when she jumped off a swing."

"How did you know that?" Lily said turning bright red when everyone stared at her.

"I saw it in a memory," Harry smiled at her, but didn't elaborate any farther.

"My little Lily-flower can fly," James said wrapping his arms around his girlfriend.

"No I can't," Lily said annoyed, also blushing even harder then she was a minute ago. "And if you really value your life you won't call me that again, James, got it?"

"Are you any good at Quidditch?" James asked. "I don't think I've ever seen you on a broom."

"I don't play Quidditch, James," Lily said.

"But she is pretty good," Alice said not noticing (or not caring about) Lily's hesitation. "We've played a few pick up games together at school, and she made an excellent seeker."

"Alice!" Lily exclaimed. Harry just looked at his mum, shocked. He never imagined her to be good at Quidditch, not to mention to play his position. He always thought she was like Hermione: smart and kind, but not good at sports (or at least not flying ones).

"How about you, what do you think about Quidditch?" James asked Harry.

"It's alright," Harry said trying to keep a straight face while looking at his father's and Sirius's mutinous expressions.

Only Alice noticed the smirk on the corner of Neville's lips, and she wondered if the Harry was lying about his feelings for Quidditch.

"I can't believe you never told me that you could play Quidditch, Lily," James said.

"I didn't want there to be another reason for you to bother me all the time," Lily retorted.

"We've been going out for almost a month, you could have told me then," James said indignantly.

"It never came up," Lily shrugged.

"I think I'll continue reading now," Frank said over the bickering couple.

**The Dursleys had received a very angry letter from Harry's headmistress telling them Harry had been climbing school buildings. But all he'd tried to do (as he shouted at Uncle Vernon through the locked door of his cupboard) was jump behind the big trashcans outside the kitchen doors. Harry supposed that the wind must have caught him in mid-jump. **

"Not a very clever excuse there, Harry," Sirius teased.

"Gimme a break, I was like nine years old, back then," Harry pouted.

"I'd perfected the art of lying by then," Sirius said proudly.

"Yeah, right, Padfoot, you're the worst liar I know," Remus said with James laughing in agreement.

**But today, nothing was going to go wrong. It was even worth being with Dudley and Piers to be spending the day somewhere that wasn't school, his cupboard, or Mrs. Figg's cabbage-smelling living room. **

"Argh, I hate cabbage," Neville said making a face.

**While he drove, Uncle Vernon complained to Aunt Petunia. He liked to complain about things: people at work, Harry, the council, Harry, the bank, and Harry were just a few of his favorite subjects. This morning, it was motorcycles.**

"I get the feeling he doesn't like Harry," Sirius said, keeping a straight face.

"I don't know where you got that from, mate," James said shaking his head.

"It's just a feeling," Sirius shrugged nonchalantly and then the two of them started laughing while everyone else (except Remus, he was used to this) just stared at them strangely.

"… **roaring along like maniacs, the young hoodlums," he said, as a motorcycle overtook them. **

"**I had a dream about a motorcycle," said Harry, remembering suddenly. "It was flying." **

"Not a smart move Harry, it looks like you got you father's brains," Remus said.

"Oi!" yelled James.

**Uncle Vernon nearly crashed into the car in front. He turned right around in his seat and yelled at Harry, his face like a gigantic beet with a mustache: "MOTORCYCLES DON'T FLY!" **

"Overreact much?" Ginny said rolling her eyes.

**Dudley and Piers sniggered. **

"**I know they don't," said Harry. "It was only a dream." **

**But he wished he hadn't said anything. If there was one thing the Dursleys hated even more than his asking questions, it was his talking about anything acting in a way it shouldn't, no matter if it was in a dream or even a cartoon — they seemed to think he might get dangerous ideas. **

"Dangerous ideas," Frank scuffed. "This man and idiot."

"There's no doubt about that," Ron laughed.

**It was a very sunny Saturday and the zoo was crowded with families. The Dursleys bought Dudley and Piers large chocolate ice creams at the entrance and then, because the smiling lady in the van had asked Harry what he wanted before they could hurry him away, they bought him a cheap lemon ice pop. **

"I've always liked those," Lily said.

**It wasn't bad, either, Harry thought, licking it as they watched a gorilla scratching its head who looked remarkably like Dudley, except that it wasn't blond. **

"Good one Harry," Sirius laughed out.

**Harry had the best morning he'd had in a long time. He was careful to walk a little way apart from the Dursleys so that Dudley and Piers, who were starting to get bored with the animals by lunchtime, wouldn't fall back on their favorite hobby of hitting him. **

"Good plan, Harry, I don't think Ron would of have the sense to do that," Hermione said.

"OI!"

**They ate in the zoo restaurant, and when Dudley had a tantrum because his knickerbocker glory didn't have enough ice cream on top, Uncle Vernon bought him another one and Harry was allowed to finish the first. **

"Things seem to be going rather well," Alice said looking suspicious. "I don't like it one bit."

"But Harry's happy," Lily said looking confused.

"I bet something going to happen," Alice said darkly.

**Harry felt, afterward, that he should have known it was all too good to last.**

"Dun, Dun, Dun…"

"Sirius. Don't."

"Sorry Lils."

**After lunch they went to the reptile house. It was cool and dark in there, with lit windows all along the walls. **

"Sounds a lot like the Slytherin common room…" muttered Sirius. Remus just stared at him.

"And how exactly do you know what the Slytherin common room looks like, Pads?" he asked skeptically.

"Mum and Dad talked about it a lot when I was young, remember? Pro-Slytherin house and family? First Gyffindor in forever? 'The oh, so noble house of Black.'" He replied, shaking his head. "Does any of this ring a bell? At all?"

**Behind the glass, all sorts of lizards and snakes were crawling and slithering over bits of wood and stone. Dudley and Piers wanted to see huge, poisonous cobras and thick, man-crushing pythons. Dudley quickly found the largest snake in the place. It could have wrapped its body twice around Uncle Vernon's car and crushed it into a trash can**

"Cool. It should totally do it!"

— **but at the moment it didn't look in the mood. In fact, it was fast asleep. **

"Awww. I wanted to see it to crush the car."

**Dudley stood with his nose pressed against the glass, staring at the glistening brown coils. **

"**Make it move," he whined at his father. Uncle Vernon tapped on the glass, but the snake didn't budge. **

"**Do it again," Dudley ordered. **

"He's taking orders from an eleven year old?" Alice tutted.

**Uncle Vernon rapped the glass smartly with his knuckles, but the snake just snoozed on. **

"**This is boring," Dudley moaned. He shuffled away. **

**Harry moved in front of the tank and looked intently at the snake. He wouldn't have been surprised if it had died of boredom itself — no company except stupid people drumming their fingers on the glass trying to disturb it all day long. **

"Like that Dursley guy!"

**It was worse than having a cupboard as a bedroom, where the only visitor was Aunt Petunia hammering on the door to wake you up; at least he got to visit the rest of the house. **

"I think it might be better to be the snake," Sirius said but Harry wasn't listening, he didn't know how the others were going to take him being a Parselmouth.

"Is something wrong?"

"No," Harry said; nobody believed him but didn't say anything more.

**The snake suddenly opened its beady eyes. Slowly, very slowly, it raised its head until its eyes were on a level with Harry's. **

**It winked.**

"Okay, that's officially weird," James said then looked toward his now pale son. Comprehension was dawning on him and he didn't know how he felt about it, if it was true. "You're a Parselmouth!"

Harry stared at his father scared. He could have sworn he had a few more sentences before anyone realized that. "Yeah," he said, though the truth was that he wasn't anymore, not since the final battle.

"How?" James asked, he knew that it was a skill that was passed down the family lines, and he most definitely wasn't a Parselmouth.

"I can't say," Harry said, refusing to meet his father confused and apprehensive stare.

"Well, it doesn't matter to me, Harry," Lily said glaring at her future husband. "It doesn't change who you are."

"No, no it doesn't," James agreed. He had never heard of decent Parselmouth before, but now he has. It was as simple as that.

"I don't know, talking to snake just creeps me out," Sirius said, causing everyone to laugh and relieving the tension that was in he room.

**Harry stared. Then he looked quickly around to see if anyone was watching. They weren't. He looked back at the snake and winked, too. **

**The snake jerked its head toward Uncle Vernon and Dudley, then raised its eyes to the ceiling. It gave Harry a look that said quite plainly: **

"**I get that all the time." **

"**I know," Harry murmured through the glass, though he wasn't sure the snake could hear him. "It must be really annoying." **

**The snake nodded vigorously. **

"**Where do you come from, anyway?" Harry asked. **

**The snake jabbed its tail at a little sign next to the glass. Harry peered at it. **

**Boa Constrictor, Brazil. **

"**Was it nice there?" **

**The boa constrictor jabbed its tail at the sign again and Harry read on: This specimen was bred in the zoo. "Oh, I see — so you've never been to Brazil?"**

"Hm, this snake seems rather nice actually," Sirius said.

"Meaning you think most snakes are evil?"

"Sure. Just look at the Slytherins."

**As the snake shook its head, a deafening shout behind Harry made both of them jump. "DUDLEY! MR. DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!" **

"Argh!"

**Dudley came waddling toward them as fast as he could. **

"**Out of the way, you," he said, punching Harry in the ribs. Caught by surprise, Harry fell hard on the concrete floor. **

"Hey, leave my son alone, you fat miscreant," James said.

"Miscreant?" asked Ron.

"Yeah, miscreant!"

**What came next happened so fast no one saw how it happened — one second, Piers and Dudley were leaning right up close to the glass, the next, they had leapt back with howls of horror. **

"Wow, what did you do?" Sirius said excitedly looking at his godson, who just smirked at him.

**Harry sat up and gasped; the glass front of the boa constrictor's tank had vanished.**

"Yes! Good one Harry!" James and Ron said.

"I'm impressed, that's some pretty powerful magic there," Frank said.

**The great snake was uncoiling itself rapidly, slithering out onto the floor. People throughout the reptile house screamed and started running for the exits. **

**As the snake slid swiftly past him, Harry could have sworn a low, hissing voice said, "Brazil, here I come… Thanksss, amigo." **

**The keeper of the reptile house was in shock. **

"**But the glass," he kept saying, "where did the glass go?"**

"It disappeared."**  
><strong>

**The zoo director himself made Aunt Petunia a cup of strong, sweet tea while he apologized over and over again. Piers and Dudley could only gibber. As far as Harry had seen, the snake hadn't done anything except snap playfully at their heels as it passed, but by the time they were all back in Uncle Vernon's car, Dudley was telling them how it had nearly bitten off his leg, while Piers was swearing it had tried to squeeze him to death. But worst of all, for Harry at least, was Piers calming down enough to say, "Harry was talking to it, weren't you, Harry?" **

"No, why did you have to say that, now Harry will be in trouble," Sirius said.

"Talking to the book again, are you?" Remus said bemusedly. Sirius just stuck out his tongue at his friend.

"And besides, I really don't think this guy cares if Harry gets in trouble," said Hermione.

**Uncle Vernon waited until Piers was safely out of the house before starting on Harry. He was so angry he could hardly speak. He managed to say, "Go — cupboard — stay — no meals," before he collapsed into a chair, and Aunt Petunia had to run and get him a large brandy. **

**Harry lay in his dark cupboard much later, wishing he had a watch. He didn't know what time it was and he couldn't be sure the Dursleys were asleep yet. Until they were, he couldn't risk sneaking to the kitchen for some food. **

"You really shouldn't sneak…" Lily started then realized the situation. "Never mind, you really do need the food, I'm sure."

**He'd lived with the Dursleys almost ten years, ten miserable years, as long as he could remember, ever since he'd been a baby and his parents had died in that car crash. He couldn't remember being in the car when his parents had died. Sometimes, when he strained his memory during long hours in his cupboard, he came up with a strange vision: a blinding flash of green light and a burning pain on his forehead. **

Frank was reading quickly through this, no one wanted to hear about this sad fact, but he pause at the last line. "Merlin, Harry, did you survive the killing curse?"

"Well, yeah," Harry said rubbing the back of his head. Everyone stared at him with open mouths, no one had ever survived the killing curse before.

"That awesome," Sirius told him, slapping the flustered teen on the back.

"Incredible," Remus agreed.

"I can't…" Lily said tears in her eyes. "You were that close to dying… how…"

"You'll find out later," Harry said.

**This, he supposed, was the crash, though he couldn't imagine where all the green light came from. He couldn't remember his parents at all. **

"Which is why I decided to come here," Harry said smiling at his parents. "I wanted some memories of you."

"Oh, Harry," Lily said before she engulfed him into a hug. His dad also got up from where he was sitting and embraced his son for the first time since he was a baby.

**His aunt and uncle never spoke about them, and of course he was forbidden to ask questions. There were no photographs of them in the house. **

**When he had been younger, Harry had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown relation coming to take him away, but it had never happened; **

"Well, there were plenty of people willing to do that," Ron said.

"Too bad that didn't happen," Lily muttered.

**the Dursleys were his only family. Yet sometimes he thought (or maybe hoped) that strangers in the street seemed to know him. Very strange strangers they were, too. **

**A tiny man in a violet top hat had bowed to him once while out shopping with Aunt Petunia and Dudley. After asking Harry furiously if he knew the man, Aunt Petunia had rushed them out of the shop without buying anything. **

"I bet that was Dedalus Diggle! Sounds like him, doesn't it?"

**A wild-looking old woman dressed all in green had waved merrily at him once on a bus. A bald man in a very long purple coat had actually shaken his hand in the street the other day and then walked away without a word. The weirdest thing about all these people was the way they seemed to vanish the second Harry tried to get a closer look. **

**At school, Harry had no one. Everybody knew that Dudley's gang hated that odd Harry Potter in his baggy old clothes and broken glasses, and nobody liked to disagree with Dudley's gang.**

"That's too bad," Sirius said.

"Gee, thanks Padfoot," Harry said sarcastically, his father had released him and he was sitting on the other side of his mother now.

"Well that's it for chapter two," Lily said.

"I'll read next," Luna said.

* * *

><p><strong>PLEASE REVIEW!<strong> Flowers or flames, send 'em my way!


	4. Letters From No One

A/N: Alright. Sorry for the delay. But it's finally up.

Thanks to:

**PureAwesomeness13 **

**Lily snape**

**bookwormqueen7**

**al**

**Phantom of Mystery**

for reviewing my story. Also thanks to everyone who alerted/faved/anything else-ed my story!**  
><strong>

Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, Fred, Remus, Tonks, and Sirius would still be alive.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Letters From No One,"<strong> Luna read. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know, but I just realized that Harry's about eleven now and should be going into Hogwarts this year, right? Maybe the letters are from Hogwarts?" Remus asked.

"Yup," Harry said happily.

**The escape of the Brazilian boa constrictor earned Harry his longest-ever punishment. By the time he was allowed out of his cupboard again, the summer holidays had started and Dudley had already broken his new video camera, crashed his remote control airplane, and, first time out on his racing bike, knocked down old Mrs. Figg as she crossed Privet Drive on her crutches. **

"That poor woman," said Lily sympathetically.

**Harry was glad school was over, but there was no escaping Dudley's gang, who visited the house every single day. Piers, Dennis, Malcolm, and Gordon were all big and stupid, but as Dudley was the biggest and stupidest of the lot, he was the leader. **

"That's just brilliant," Frank said.

"Yeah, that's worse than some of the Slytherins," said Sirius, which got a laugh.

**The rest of them were all quite happy to join in Dudley's favorite sport: Harry Hunting. **

They all growled at that.

**This was why Harry spent as much time as possible out of the house, wandering around and thinking about the end of the holidays, where he could see a tiny ray of hope. When September came he would be going off to secondary school and, **

"No, he is… er… was going to a wizarding school," Lily said happily. "And hopefully it will happen sooner then later."

"Yeah, I don't know how much more of the Dursleys I can take," James agreed.

**for the first time in his life, he wouldn't be with Dudley. Dudley had been accepted at Uncle Vernon's old private school, Smeltings. Piers Polkiss was going there too. Harry, on the other hand, was going to Stonewall High, the local public school. Dudley thought this was very funny. **

"I couldn't have cared less where I went, as long I was away from that prat," Harry said. "I thought that I might have a chance to make some friends, and I would finally be able to stop failing all my classes on purpose."

"Why on earth did you fail on purpose?" Lily asked, though she had her suspicions.

"I wasn't allowed to do better then Dudley, and he's not a very smart bloke," Harry said, confirming Lily's theory.

"That's just horrible," Hermione said.

"I doubt you would have survived there," Ron said. "No answering questions and your not even allowed to study. Not a Hermione-friendly place."

"**They stuff people's heads down the toilet the first day at Stonewall," he told Harry. "Want to come upstairs and practice?" **

"**No, thanks," said Harry. "The poor toilet's never had anything as horrible as your head down it — it might be sick." Then he ran, before Dudley could work out what he'd said. **

"Good one mate," Sirius said as everyone laughed. "It looks like you've got your fathers insulting abilities."

"I don't know Padfoot," Remus said. "Lily can be quite cheeky when she wants to be."

"That true, I guess we'll have to wait to pass judgment on that," Sirius admitted.

**One day in July, Aunt Petunia took Dudley to London to buy his Smeltings uniform, leaving Harry at Mrs. Figg's. **

"So I guess you didn't get out of that one after all, did you Harry?" Sirius teased.

**Mrs. Figg wasn't as bad as usual. It turned out she'd broken her leg tripping over one of her cats, and she didn't seem quite as fond of them as before. She let Harry watch television and gave him a bit of chocolate cake that tasted as though she'd had it for several years. **

"How could anyone not eat chocolate for several years?" Remus asked, horrified.

"Yes, Moony," said Padfoot sarcastically, "Harry's life is miserable. Let's worry about the chocolate, though."

**That evening, Dudley paraded around the living room for the family in his brand-new uniform. Smeltings' boys wore maroon tailcoats, orange knickerbockers, and flat straw hats called boaters. They also carried knobbly sticks, used for hitting each other while the teachers weren't looking. This was supposed to be good training for later life. **

"How the hell would that help?" Sirius said.

"That's horrible," agreed Alice.

**As he looked at Dudley in his new knickerbockers, Uncle Vernon said gruffly that it was the proudest moment of his life. Aunt Petunia burst into tears and said she couldn't believe it was her Ickle Dudleykins, **

"That's such a great name."

**he looked so handsome and grown-up. Harry didn't trust himself to speak. He thought two of his ribs might already have cracked from trying not to laugh. **

"Ha, nice one, Harry," barked Sirius.

**There was a horrible smell in the kitchen the next morning when Harry went in for breakfast. It seemed to be coming from a large metal tub in the sink. He went to have a look. The tub was full of what looked like dirty rags swimming in gray water. **

"Why would rags be in a tub?" James asked. "Muggles are weird."

"**What's this?" he asked Aunt Petunia. Her lips tightened as they always did if he dared to ask a question. **

"**Your new school uniform," she said. **

"He's going to have to wear soaking rags to school," Neville said

"First of all, they won't be soaking when he wears them..." Hermione said shaking her head.

"I know that," Neville said.

"And second," Hermione went on like she hadn't heard his interruption. "He's not going to that public school anyways, so it's not going to matter."

"But he still thinks he has to," Lily sighed. "He's going to have to worry about it until he finds out about Hogwarts."

"Which should happen anytime now," Remus pointed out.

**Harry looked in the bowl again. **

"**Oh," he said, "I didn't realize it had to be so wet."**

"Sarcasm doesn't work on her," Lily said over the Maruaders' and Ron's and Ginny's laughter.

"**Don't be stupid," snapped Aunt Petunia. "I'm dyeing some of Dudley's old things gray for you. It'll look just like everyone else's when I've finished." **

"Yeah… right," Lily said slowly rolling her eyes. "Sometimes I don't know if she really thick or just likes to act an idiot on purpose."

**Harry seriously doubted this, but thought it best not to argue. **

"Yeah, because arguing only gets him more time in the cupboard," James said angrily.

**He sat down at the table and tried not to think about how he was going to look on his first day at Stonewall High — like he was wearing bits of old elephant skin, probably. **

"Charming," Sirius said laughing.

**Dudley and Uncle Vernon came in, both with wrinkled noses because of the smell from Harry's new uniform. Uncle Vernon opened his newspaper as usual and Dudley banged his Smelting stick, which he carried everywhere, on the table. **

"Horrible."

**They heard the click of the mail slot and flop of letters on the doormat. **

"**Get the mail, Dudley," said Uncle Vernon from behind his paper. **

"He's making the fat oaf do something?" asked Sirius incredulously.

"**Make Harry get it." **

"And there goes that," Ron said shaking his head.

"**Get the mail, Harry." **

"**Make Dudley get it." **

"**Poke him with your Smelting stick, Dudley." **

**Harry dodged the Smelting stick and went to get the mail. Three things lay on the doormat: a postcard from Uncle Vernon's sister Marge, who was vacationing on the Isle of Wight, a brown envelope that looked like a bill, and — a letter for Harry. **

"Hogwarts' letter perchance," Sirius said and everyone rolled their eyes at him.

**Harry picked it up and stared at it, his heart twanging like a giant elastic band. No one, ever, in his whole life, had written to him. Who would? He had no friends, no other relatives — he didn't belong to the library, so he'd never even got rude notes asking for books back. Yet here it was, a letter, addressed so plainly there could be no mistake: **

_**Mr. H. Potter **_

_**The Cupboard under the Stairs 4 Privet Drive **_

_**Little Whinging **_

_**Surrey**_

Lily pressed her lips together at the mention of the cupboard, she still couldn't believe that her son had to endure almost ten years of living in a dark, dank, place like that. She was lucky that he was able to turn out so well. He could've been a monster.

**The envelope was thick and heavy, made of yellowish parchment, and the address was written in emerald-green ink. **

"Ours aren't done in green," Alice said.

"Yeah, it's blue," Frank said. "I guess its changes depending on who sends the letter."

"Whatever," Alice shrugged.

**There was no stamp. **

**Turning the envelope over, his hand trembling, Harry saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding a large letter H. **

"Yes, Hogwarts!" Sirius shouted.

"**Hurry up, boy!" shouted Uncle Vernon from the kitchen. "What are you doing, checking for letter bombs?" He chuckled at his own joke. **

"That was possibly the worst joke in the history of bad jokes," Sirius told the book.

**Harry went back to the kitchen, still staring at his letter. He handed Uncle Vernon the bill and the postcard, sat down, and slowly began to open the yellow envelope. **

**Uncle Vernon ripped open the bill, snorted in disgust, and flipped over the postcard. **

"**Marge's** **ill," he informed Aunt Petunia. "Ate a funny whelk…" **

"HA! I HOPE SHE SUFFERS!"

"**Dad!" said Dudley suddenly. "Dad, Harry's got something!" **

"Shut up," James hissed.

**Harry was on the point of unfolding his letter,**

"Why did he open the letter in front of them anyways?" Hermione said.

"How was he supposed to know that they would react like this?" Ginny argued.

"He's lived with them for years and he knows that they do anything to stop him for having something he wanted or might like," Hermione reasoned patiently. "He should have realized they would take the letter away."

"I know that now," Harry told her. "I just didn't realize that they would care that much if I got a letter."

**which was written on the same heavy parchment as the envelope, when it was jerked sharply out of his hand by Uncle Vernon. **

"**That's mine!" said Harry, trying to snatch it back. **

"**Who'd be writing to you?" sneered Uncle Vernon,**

"Hogwarts!" several people cheered.

**shaking the letter open with one hand and glancing at it. His face went from red to green faster than a set of traffic lights. And it didn't stop there. Within seconds it was the grayish white of old porridge. **

"Lovely," James snickered.

"**P-P-Petunia!" he gasped. **

**Dudley tried to grab the letter to read it, but Uncle Vernon held it high out of his reach. Aunt Petunia took it curiously and read the first line. For a moment it looked as though she might faint. She clutched her throat and made a choking noise. **

"There's no reason for her to be so dramatic," Lily tutted.

"I don't know why she's so surprised," Remus said. "She's seen the signs of magic more clearly than anyone else."

"But she tries so hard to not believe any of that," James argued.

"I guess... but it's just stupid to repress things that she knows have to be true," Remus said shaking his head.

"**Vernon! Oh my goodness — Vernon!"**

"They don't seem too pleased about the letter," Frank chuckled.

"No, and it only made me want to read it more," Harry said.

**They stared at each other, seeming to have forgotten that Harry and Dudley were still in the room. Dudley wasn't used to being ignored. He gave his father a sharp tap on the head with his Smelting stick. **

"And his father just lets him hit him like that," Hermione said shaking her head.

"**I want to read that letter," he said loudly. **

"And what, prey tell, entitles you to read that letter?" Sirius asked.

"Nothing, but he's used to gettiing everything else he wants, so why can't he have this?" Harry said bitterly.

"**I want to read it," said Harry furiously, "as it's mine." **

"**Get out, both of you," croaked Uncle Vernon, stuffing the letter back inside its envelope. **

**Harry didn't move. **

"**I WANT MY LETTER!" he shouted.**

"See, I told you he got his mum's temper," Neville said grinning. Harry grinned back at his friend, even as he felt indignant at being compared to his mum. Even a year ago Neville wouldn't have felt comfortable enough to say that to Harry, not to mention with all these other people in the room.

"**Let me see it!" demanded Dudley. **

"**OUT!" roared Uncle Vernon, and he took both Harry and Dudley by the scruffs of their necks and threw them into the hall, slamming the kitchen door behind them. Harry and Dudley promptly had a furious but silent fight over who would listen at the keyhole; Dudley won, so Harry,**

"Oh, come on Harry you can beat him," Sirius said.

"I'd like to see you take on someone that's more than twice your weight," Harry said. "I'm lucky he never decided to sit on me, instead of punching me." Several people laughed at that, but Harry meant it.

**his glasses dangling from one ear, lay flat on his stomach to listen at the crack between door and floor. **

"I would choose that spot anyway."

"**Vernon," Aunt Petunia was saying in a quivering voice, "look at the address — how could they possibly know where he sleeps? You don't think they're watching the house?" **

"Did they really know he was sleeping in a cupboard?" Lily asked. "And they didn't do anything about it?"

"Not necessarily," Hermione answered. "The letters are addressed by an automatic spell... they might not have realized where he slept."

"**Watching — spying — might be following us," muttered Uncle Vernon wildly.**

"Like we would care about you," Sirius said.

"No but we do care about Harry, besides at least Dumbledore has someone keeping some kind of eye on him," Frank said.

"I guess," Sirius pouted.

"**But what should we do, Vernon? Should we write back? Tell them we don't want —" **

**Harry could see Uncle Vernon's shiny black shoes pacing up and down the kitchen. **

"**No," he said finally. "No, we'll ignore it. If they don't get an answer… Yes, that's best… we won't do anything…" **

"That's not going to work," Sirius said.

"It might, if he doesn't respond…" Lily said worriedly.

"Don't worry, we know that he gets to Hogwarts," James said confidently.

"Besides, there no way that they would let Harry Potter not come to Hogwarts," Neville said.

"Hey, Nev," Harry said suddenly curious, he really had no idea just how famous he was.

"Yeah?"

"Was I really that big."

"Yeah Harry," Neville said laughing. "Like Dumbledore said before, everyone heard your story. You sort of became the person that parents pointed to as a role model. I can't remember how many times my gran brought you up when she was reprimanding me. 'Harry Potter would never do that' or 'if you keep on working hard, you'll be like Harry Potter'. Now that I know you, I know it's not really something I should aim for, you're bloody crazy."

"Like you're sane," Harry said laughing with his friend. "You did some pretty crazy things yourself."

"Yeah, like follow you," Neville laughed.

"That would be it," Harry chuckled.

The parents of the two boys just looked at their sons not really understanding what was going on, but at least getting the idea that they where indeed good friends.

"**But —" **

"**I'm not having one in the house, Petunia! Didn't we swear when we took him in we'd stamp out that dangerous nonsense?"**

"Stamp out that dangerous nonsense," Lily said through gritted teeth. "You can't stamp magic out."

"It probably just made it stronger," Remus said. "Accidental magic is caused by heighten emotions and anger or fear are powerful sources for that."

**That evening when he got back from work, Uncle Vernon did something he'd never done before; he visited Harry in his cupboard. **

"I bet he's trying to butter him up now," Remus said narrowing his eyes. "So the wizards spies think that he treats Harry like a human."

"**Where's my letter?" said Harry, the moment Uncle Vernon had squeezed through the door. "Who's writing to me?" **

"**No one. It was addressed to you by mistake," said Uncle Vernon shortly. **

"Not even Sirius would believe that one," James announced.

"Hey," Sirius said.

"**I have burned it." **

"Why, you piece of scum," Lily said.

"**It was not a mistake," said Harry angrily, "it had my cupboard on it." **

"**SILENCE!" yelled Uncle Vernon, and a couple of spiders fell from the ceiling. **

Ron shivered at that**.**

**He took a few deep breaths and then forced his face into a smile, which looked quite painful. **

"Probably was."

"I hope it was."

"**Er — yes, Harry — about this cupboard. Your aunt and I have been thinking… you're really getting a bit big for it… we think it might be nice if you moved into Dudley's second bedroom. **

"What?" Lily said beside herself now as she turned to Harry. "You had to sleep in a cupboard and they… that … he had two bedrooms."

"Yes," Harry said truly afraid of his mother for the first time, he could sense the energy that was emanating for her.

"There's also a guest room," he added in a low voice.

Lily eyes bugged and she got up and went somewhere were no one could see her, so she could rage in peace.

"Why did you tell her the last bit?" James said watching his girlfriend with concern.

"I figured she would find out eventually, might as well tell her now," Harry said, he too was concerned.

"**Why?" said Harry. **

"Why are you questioning it?" James as.

"He was doing something nice for me," Harry said. "It didn't feel right."

"Hmph," James said, he too looked like he wanted to get things off his chest.

"**Don't ask questions!" snapped his uncle. "Take this stuff upstairs, now." **

**The Dursleys' house had four bedrooms: **

"Four bedrooms!"

**one for Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, one for visitors (usually Uncle Vernon's sister, Marge), one where Dudley slept, and one where Dudley kept all the toys and things that wouldn't fit into his first bedroom. It only took Harry one trip upstairs to move everything he owned from the cupboard to this room. **

"That's so sad."**  
><strong>

**He sat down on the bed and stared around him. Nearly everything in here was broken. The month-old video camera was lying on top of a small, working tank Dudley had once driven over the next door neighbor's dog; in the corner was Dudley's first-ever television set, which he'd put his foot through when his favorite program had been canceled; **

"Prat."**  
><strong>

**there was a large birdcage, which had once held a parrot that Dudley had swapped at school for a real air rifle, which was up on a shelf with the end all bent because Dudley had sat on it. Other shelves were full of books. They were the only things in the room that looked as though they'd never been touched. **

"That's a real shocker," Ron scoffed.

**From downstairs came the sound of Dudley bawling at his mother, "I don't want him in there… I need that room… make him get out…"**

"Need that room," Hermione said raising an eyebrow. "All that was in it was junk he never used!"

"But you're forgetting the principle of the matter," Remus said through gritted teeth. "He doesn't want Harry getting anything, especially if it makes him remotely happy... so of course he needs that room."

"It was the first time ever that he didn't get what he wanted," Harry stated.

"Wow, they can actually say no to him?" Frank asked incredulously.

"That just shows you how afraid they are of wizards," James said.

**Harry sighed and stretched out on the bed. Yesterday he'd have given anything to be up here. Today he'd rather be back in his cupboard with that letter than up here without it. **

"Definitely."

**Next morning at breakfast, everyone was rather quiet. Dudley was in shock. He'd screamed, whacked his father with his Smelting stick, been sick on purpose, kicked his mother, and thrown his tortoise through the greenhouse roof, and he still didn't have his room back. **

"Prat!"

**Harry was thinking about this time yesterday and bitterly wishing he'd opened the letter in the hall. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia kept looking at each other darkly. **

**When the mail arrived, Uncle Vernon, who seemed to be trying to be nice to Harry, made Dudley go and get it. **

"I really wish he hadn't," Harry said gloomily, than he remembered his encounter with Hagrid and thought that maybe things worked out for the best.

**They heard him banging things with his Smelting stick all the way down the hall. Then he shouted, "There's another one! 'Mr. H. Potter, The Smallest Bedroom, 4 Privet Drive —'"**

"What an idiot," Ron said. "He wanted to read the letter as much as Harry does, he should have kept his mouth shut."

"True, but I'm not sure he can read yet, so he might need mommy dearest to do it for him," Sirius smirked.

**With a strangled cry, Uncle Vernon leapt from his seat and ran down the hall, Harry right behind him. Uncle Vernon had to wrestle Dudley to the ground to get the letter from him, which was made difficult by the fact that Harry had grabbed Uncle Vernon around the neck from behind. After a minute of confused fighting, in which everyone got hit a lot by the Smelting stick, **

"Ouch."

**Uncle Vernon straightened up, gasping for breath, with Harry's letter clutched in his hand. **

"**Go to your cupboard — I mean, your bedroom," he wheezed at Harry. "Dudley — go — just go." **

**Harry walked round and round his new room. Someone knew he had moved out of his cupboard and they seemed to know he hadn't received his first letter. Surely that meant they'd try again? And this time he'd make sure they didn't fail. He had a plan. **

"I don't like the sound of that," Lily said re-entering the room. "It sounds like something your father would do."

"Well, what was I suppose to do?" Harry asked. "Just sit there and take it."

"No, I suppose I wouldn't want you to do that," she smiled at him.

**The repaired alarm clock rang at six o'clock the next morning. Harry turned it off quickly and dressed silently. He mustn't wake the Dursleys. He stole downstairs without turning on any of the lights. **

"Not a bad plan," Sirius said.

"I'm glad it got the Marauder's seal of approval," Harry said.

"No plan should be carried out without it," Sirius said in his most serious voice.

**He was going to wait for the postman on the corner of Privet Drive and get the letters for number four first. His heart hammered as he crept across the dark hall toward the front door — **

"**AAAAARRRGH!" **

**Harry leapt into the air; he'd trodden on something big and squashy on the doormat — something alive! **

"Oh drat, the oaf thought of it too," Sirius said. "At least you got to step on him."

**Lights clicked on upstairs and to his horror Harry realized that the big, squashy something had been his uncle's face. **

"WOOT!"

**Uncle Vernon had been lying at the foot of the front door in a sleeping bag, clearly making sure that Harry didn't do exactly what he'd been trying to do. He shouted at Harry for about half an hour and then told him to go and make a cup of tea. Harry shuffled miserably off into the kitchen and by the time he got back, the mail had arrived, right into Uncle Vernon's lap. Harry could see three letters addressed in green ink. **

"**I want —" he began, but Uncle Vernon was tearing the letters into pieces before his eyes. **

**Uncle Vernon didn't go to work that day. **

"You mean he doesn't get to work with is boring drills... what a shame," James said.

**He stayed at home and nailed up the mail slot. **

"**See," he explained to Aunt Petunia through a mouthful of nails, "if they can't deliver them they'll just give up." **

"Er... wouldn't the postman just knock on the door?" Hermione asked.

"I'm not sure the postman is the one delivering the letters," Lily answered. "They don't have stamps remember."

"Oh right," Hermione blushed. "But whoever was sending those letters isn't going to be stopped by that anyways."

"**I'm not sure that'll work, Vernon." **

"**Oh, these people's minds work in strange ways, Petunia, they're not like you and me," said Uncle Vernon, trying to knock in a nail with the piece of fruitcake Aunt Petunia had just brought him. **

"And that's something we are all proud of," Frank said.

Sirius just pouted for a minute until Remus said, "For Merlin sakes, carry on reading and stop pouting... just because Frank said what you wanted to."

**On Friday, no less than twelve letters arrived for Harry. As they couldn't go through the mail slot they had been pushed under the door, slotted through the sides, and a few even forced through the small window in the downstairs bathroom. **

"Knew that wouldn't stop them."

**Uncle Vernon stayed at home again. After burning all the letters, he got out a hammer and nails and boarded up the cracks around the front and back doors so no one could go out. He hummed "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" as he worked, and jumped at small noises. **

"It looks like he's really cracked this time," Sirius laughed.

"You know, things are a lot funnier now," Harry said laughing at his uncle's crazy antics.

**On Saturday, things began to get out of hand. Twenty-four letters to Harry found their way into the house, rolled up and hidden inside each of the two-dozen eggs that their very confused milkman had handed Aunt Petunia through the living room window. **

"Twenty-four letters?"

"In eggs?"

"I love wizards!"

**While Uncle Vernon made furious telephone calls to the post office and the dairy trying to find someone to complain to, Aunt Petunia shredded the letters in her food processor. **

"**Who on earth wants to talk to you this badly?" Dudley asked Harry in amazement.**

"A lot of people actually," Neville said, then he blushed.

"What is it?" Alice asked, noticing her son's sudden discomfort.

"Oh, it's just…well I remembered writing to Harry Potter once…" Neville said in barely over a whisper. Lots and lots of people had written fan mail to Harry, but Neville had never really told him that.

"Really?" Harry said shocked.

"I guess you never got it," Neville said.

"No, I guess the Ministry or Dumbledore must have stopped my fan mail," Harry said then suddenly smiled. "Hey, Gin? Did you ever write?"

"Er…maybe once or twice," Ginny told him squirming in her seat.

"Ha, more like every week since you were eight," Ron laughed.

Everyone redoubled their laughter at that.

"I wonder what happened to them?" Neville asked.

"Who knows," Harry shrugged.

**On Sunday morning, Uncle Vernon sat down at the breakfast table looking tired and rather ill, but happy. **

"**No post on Sundays," **

"That's what he thinks," Sirius said.

**he reminded them cheerfully as he spread marmalade on his newspapers,**

"…Marmalade on his newspapers? What kind of messed up family is this?" Remus asked, incredulous.

**"no damn letters today —" **

"Don't swear in front of my son!"**  
><strong>

**Something came whizzing down the kitchen chimney as he spoke and caught him sharply on the back of the head. Next moment, thirty or forty letters came pelting out of the fireplace like bullets. The Dursleys ducked, but Harry leapt into the air trying to catch one — **

"Why didn't you just pick one off the floor?" Frank asked.

Harry blushed, he never thought of that. In his defense though, his instincts were to catch things, even before he had been made Seeker on the Quidditch team...

"Frank, be nice," Alice chastised.

"Sorry."

"**Out! OUT!" **

**Uncle Vernon seized Harry around the waist and threw him into the hall. **

"He better not hurt my baby."

**When Aunt Petunia and Dudley had run out with their arms over their faces, Uncle Vernon slammed the door shut. They could hear the letters still streaming into the room, bouncing off the walls and floor. **

"**That does it," said Uncle Vernon, trying to speak calmly but pulling great tufts out of his mustache at the same time. "I want you all back here in five minutes ready to leave. We're going away. Just pack some clothes. No arguments!" **

**He looked so dangerous with half his mustache missing that no one dared argue. **

"I sure as hell wouldn't."

"Sirius!"

"Sorry, Lils."

**Ten minutes later they had wrenched their way through the boarded-up doors and were in the car, speeding toward the highway. Dudley was sniffling in the back seat; his father had hit him round the head for holding them up while he tried to pack his television, VCR, and computer in his sports bag. **

"What an idiot," everyone laughed.

**They drove. And they drove. Even Aunt Petunia didn't dare ask where they were going. Every now and then Uncle Vernon would take a sharp turn and drive in the opposite direction for a while. **

"**Shake 'em off… shake 'em off," he would mutter whenever he did this.**

"I don't believe it, but he has gone even more mental then he was before," Sirius said, receiving laughs from everyone.

**They didn't stop to eat or drink all day. By nightfall Dudley was howling. He'd never had such a bad day in his life. He was hungry, he'd missed five television programs he'd wanted to see, and he'd never gone so long without blowing up an alien on his computer. **

"Welcome to my life, Dud," Harry said.

Lily and James frowned at that.

**Uncle Vernon stopped at last outside a gloomy-looking hotel on the outskirts of a big city. Dudley and Harry shared a room with twin beds and damp, musty sheets. Dudley snored but Harry stayed awake, sitting on the windowsill, staring down at the lights of passing cars and wondering… **

"What did you think about?" Lily asked her son.

"I'm not sure really," he told her, not knowing what was going through his head eight-ish years ago, "probably along the lines of who was writing me, and if someone was going to take me away from the dreary life I lead."

**They ate stale cornflakes and cold tinned tomatoes on toast for breakfast the next day. They had just finished when the owner of the hotel came over to their table. **

"'**Scuse me, but is one of you Mr. H. Potter? Only I got about an 'undred of these at the front desk." **

**She held up a letter so they could read the green ink address: **

**Mr. H. Potter **

**Room 17 **

**Railview Hotel **

**Cokeworth **

**Harry made a grab for the letter but Uncle Vernon knocked his hand out of the way. The woman stared. **

"**I'll take them," said Uncle Vernon, standing up quickly and following her from the dining room. **

"It's illegal to take... er... open another person mail," Lily said.

"**Wouldn't it be better just to go home, dear?" Aunt Petunia suggested timidly, hours later, but Uncle Vernon didn't seem to hear her.**

"He should listen to her, she at least knows a little about our world, no matter how much she tries to forget it," Lily said sadly.

**Exactly what he was looking for, none of them knew. He drove them into the middle of a forest, got out, looked around, shook his head, got back in the car, and off they went again. The same thing happened in the middle of a plowed field, halfway across a suspension bridge, and at the top of a multilevel parking garage. **

"He's trying to find a place that the wizard won't go to," Remus said. "Good luck with that."

"**Daddy's gone mad, hasn't he?" Dudley asked Aunt Petunia dully late that afternoon. **

"Wow, he's so far gone even his son realizes it," Frank said.

**Uncle Vernon had parked at the coast, locked them all inside the car, and disappeared. **

**It started to rain. Great drops beat on the roof of the car. Dudley sniveled. **

"**It's Monday," he told his mother. "The Great Humberto's on tonight. I want to stay somewhere with a television." **

**Monday. This reminded Harry of something. If it was Monday — and you could usually count on Dudley to know the days the week, because of television **

"That's so sad. Only knowing the days of the week because of television."

— **then tomorrow, Tuesday, was Harry's eleventh birthday. **

"Really, happy birthday," Lily said looking at her son, who just blushed.

"Lily it's his birthday in the book, not in really life," Sirius said exasperated. "Even I know that."

"No, its his birthday today, a mother knows," she said, she notice her son hadn't said anything and was sure she was right. "I bet you two Galleons it is."

"Lily, you don't believe in betting," James said. "All those times you broke up our p…"

"That was at school James, it was against the rules," she said. Harry grinned at her, that was the mum he expected to meet, the one just like Mione.

"Oh, come on Lils," Sirius said.

"Are you afraid?" Lily goaded him.

"Fine, your on," Sirius said and they both turned to Harry.

"She right," Harry grinned. "It's my eighteenth birthday."

"Damn," Sirius said.

"I knew it," Lily squealed then hugged her son. "Happy birthday Harry."

"Yeah, Happy birthday," Sirius said bitterly handing Lily her winning. "You could have said something before I bet though."

"Where's the fun in that?" Harry said. "Oh, yeah, and it was Neville's birthday yesterday."

"Really," Alice said turning on her own son and hugging him. It was the first time she did it, and it made Neville feel more at peace. All those times visiting his parents at he hospitable and this is all he really wanted from them.

"I say we take a break and celebrate," Sirius said.

"Cool," James said and everyone seemed to be in agreement. After five minutes of congratulation and small talk, a cake appeared in the room.

"Where did that come from?" Remus question.

"This room must be like the Room of Requirements, Moony, it gives us what we want," Sirius said.

"No, that can't be, the Room of Requirements doesn't give food," Neville said, remembering all too clearly the time he spent in that room, the first few days of without being able to get food.

"Does it really matter, it's here and it looks delicious?" Sirius said mouth watering.

"I think this place is beyond time, or something, I remember Mione saying something about it. To sum up the rooms gives us the things we need until we have done what we came here to do." Harry said scathing the back of his head.

"Like I said, whatever, lets eat."

They all sang happy birthday to Harry and Neville and proceeded to eat the cake, and all the other food that appeared moments later. It took about an hour for the group to settle down again and read.

**Of course, his birthdays were never exactly fun — last year, the Dursleys had given him a coat hanger and a pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks. **

"That's horrible, you never had a gift before," Lily asked.

"Not yet," Harry said, thinking about when Hagrid had given him Hedwig.

**Still, you weren't eleven every day. **

**Uncle Vernon was back and he was smiling. **

"It's not good if he's smiling," Frank stated.

**He was also carrying a long, thin package and didn't answer Aunt Petunia when she asked what he'd bought. **

"**Found the perfect place!" he said. "Come on! Everyone out!" **

**It was very cold outside the car. Uncle Vernon was pointing at what looked like a large rock way out at sea. Perched on top of the rock was the most miserable little shack you could imagine. One thing was certain, there was no television in there. **

"**Storm forecast for tonight!" said Uncle Vernon gleefully, clapping his hands together. "And this gentleman's kindly agreed to lend us his boat!" **

"Of course," said Lily sarcastically, "if there's a storm forecast, we should go in a boat."

"Well, they probably think wizards can't get to them, then," Frank pointed out.

**A toothless old man came ambling up to them, pointing, with a rather wicked grin, at an old rowboat bobbing in the iron-gray water below them. **

"**I've already got us some rations," said Uncle Vernon, "so all aboard!" **

**It was freezing in the boat. Icy sea spray and rain crept down their necks and a chilly wind whipped their faces. After what seemed like hours they reached the rock, where Uncle Vernon, slipping and sliding, led the way to the broken-down house. **

**The inside was horrible; it smelled strongly of seaweed, the wind whistled through the gaps in the wooden walls, and the fireplace was damp and empty. There were only two rooms. **

"Why did he have to bring them here?" Ginny asked winkling her nose.

"He was trying to get away from the wizards," Frank said.

"I know, but still... agrh, that place give me the creeps," Ginny groaned.

"I'll have to remember that when I'm picking out vacations sites," Harry laughed.

**Uncle Vernon's rations turned out to be a bag of chips each and four bananas. **

"Oh, what brilliant rations," Sirius scoffed. "How could they get by on that?"

**He tried to start a fire but the empty chip bags just smoked and shriveled up. **

"Those aren't rations," Lily huffed.

"**Could do with some of those letters now, eh?" he said cheerfully.**

"Oh just you wait," Lily said muttering under her breath.

**He was in a very good mood. Obviously he thought nobody stood a chance of reaching them here in a storm to deliver mail. **

"That just shows that he doesn't know anything," Ron said.

**Harry privately agreed, though the thought didn't cheer him up at all. **

"You're kind of a pessimist, Harry," Remus said.

"You would be too, if you lived my life," Harry said. "Nothing good every really happened to me, well not until this at least."

"And now I'm depressed again," Lily said.

**As night fell, the promised storm blew up around them. Spray from the high waves splattered the walls of the hut and a fierce wind rattled the filthy windows. Aunt Petunia found a few moldy blankets in the second room and made up a bed for Dudley on the moth-eaten sofa. She and Uncle Vernon went off to the lumpy bed next door, and Harry was left to find the softest bit of floor he could and to curl up under the thinnest, most ragged blanket. **

"Damn these people."

**The storm raged more and more ferociously as the night went on. Harry couldn't sleep. He shivered and turned over, trying to get comfortable, his stomach rumbling with hunger. **

"My poor baby."

**Dudley's snores were drowned by the low rolls of thunder that started near midnight. The lighted dial of Dudley's watch, which was dangling over the edge of the sofa on his fat wrist, told Harry he'd be eleven in ten minutes' time. He lay and watched his birthday tick nearer, wondering if the Dursleys would remember at all, wondering where the letter writer was now. **

**Five minutes to go. Harry heard something creak outside. He hoped the roof wasn't going to fall in, although he might be warmer if it did. **

"No he wouldn't... he'd be all wet then," Sirius laughed.

"And crushed by wood," James added, laughing too.

**Four minutes to go. Maybe the house in Privet Drive would be so full of letters when they got back that he'd be able to steal one somehow. **

**Three minutes to go. Was that the sea, slapping hard on the rock like that? And (two minutes to go) what was that funny crunching noise? Was the rock crumbling into the sea? **

**One minute to go and he'd be eleven. Thirty seconds… twenty… ten… nine — maybe he'd wake Dudley up, just to annoy him **

"Yeah, do it," James encouraged.

— **three… two… one… **

**BOOM. **

Sirius shouted with excitement, and Harry was glad he didn't volunteer for the next chapter.

**The whole shack shivered and Harry sat bolt upright, staring at the door. Someone was outside, knocking to come in.**

"I wonder who that could be," Luna said. "That's it for the chapter."

"I'll read next," Neville said.

* * *

><p>REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! Like it? Love it? Hate it? Change it? I want your feedback!<p> 


	5. The Keeper of the Keys

**A/N:** Chapter 5! We finally get Hagrid! A special thanks to

**MrsFredFelton**

**PureAwesomeness13**

for reviewing. This chapter is officially dedicated to **PureAwesomeness13** for adding my story to story alert, favorites, and for giving me three reviews. You are the best, and the most amazing reader I could have asked for. Also, thanks to everyone else who added my story to story alert and/or favorites, too! I love you all!

**Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, would I be on FanFiction? Think about that.**

* * *

><p>""<strong>The Keeper of the Keys,"<strong> Neville read clearly.

"Isn't that Hagrid?" James asked.

"I believe it is Prongs," Remus told him, amused.

**BOOM. **

Neville caught everyone off guard by shouting, before half the people in the room turned to glare at him. "What?" he asked sheepishly, "It was written in all capital letters."

"Just continue." Lily said, annoyed. She really hated it when people yelled like that.

**They knocked again. Dudley jerked awake. **

"**Where's the cannon?" he said stupidly. **

"Ha! Stupid."

"Yes, Sirius, we established that."

"Sorry Lils."

**There was a crash behind them and Uncle Vernon came skidding into the room. He was holding a rifle in his hands – **

"Why? What's a rifle?" Sirius asked.

"Aren't you taking Muggle Studies," Lily teased.

"Yeah, for like four months, they haven't cover rifles yet, whatever that is," Sirius said.

"There a kind of Muggle weapon that firers a piece of mental at you... they're very dangerous," Hermione explained.

**now they knew what had been in the long, thin package he had brought with them. **

"I don't think it would work against Hagrid," James said. "His skin's too thick."

"**Who's there?" he shouted. "I warn you — I'm armed!" **

**There was a pause. Then — **

**SMASH! **

"No more yelling!" screamed Lily.

"It was written that way!"

"Lily, don't yell at my son!" Alice yelled with such vindiction it grew silent for a minute while she glared at her best friend before Neville remembered that he was supposed to be reading.

**The door was hit with such force that it swung clean off its hinges and with a deafening crash landed flat on the floor. **

**A giant of a man **

"He's not a giant Harry," Sirius said.

"Not a full one at least," Lily said.

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked.

"Well, I know he's not a full giant, he would be twice as big, but I'm sure that he is at least half-giant," Lily said in a tone that really reminded Harry of his best friend; which indeed caused both Harry and Neville to laugh (though they did it silently so no one noticed).

"Oh come on, you really think he's a half-giant?" Sirius asked.

"Yes I do," Lily said.

"I bet you two Galleons he's not," Sirius said.

"Sure, it's your money," she shrugged.

"So do you know if he is?" she turned to her son.

"You'll find out," was all that Harry said.

**was standing in the doorway. His face was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard, but you could make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles under all the hair. **

**The giant squeezed his way into the hut, stooping so that his head just brushed the ceiling. He bent down, picked up the door, and fitted it easily back into its frame. The noise of the storm outside dropped a little. He turned to look at them all. **

"**Couldn't make us a cup o' tea, could yeh? It's not been an easy journey…"**

"I love Hagrid," Lily giggled.

"He does have a certain charm about him doesn't he," Ron agreed.

**He strode over to the sofa where Dudley sat frozen with fear. **

"**Budge up, yeh great lump," said the stranger. **

**Dudley squeaked and ran to hide behind his mother, who was crouching, terrified, behind Uncle Vernon. **

"**An' here's Harry!" said the giant. **

**Harry looked up into the fierce, wild, shadowy face and saw that the beetle eyes were crinkled in a smile. **

"He's really nice Harry, you don't have to be afraid," Lily said.

"I know that mum," Harry said. "Hagrid is great."

"Yeah," Neville agreed. "Though he was frightening to meet at first."

"Agreed," Hermione said.

"**Las' time I saw you, you was only a baby," said the giant. "Yeh look a lot like yer dad, but yeh've got yer mom's eyes." Uncle Vernon made a funny rasping noise. **

"That was the first time I hear that," Harry smiled.

"Do you hear it often?" Lily asked.

"What do you think?" Harry said.

"Well since it's what I thought about you at first, I think you do," Remus said.

"**I demand that you leave at once, sir!" he said. "You are breaking and entering!" **

"**Ah, shut up, Dursley, yeh great prune," said the giant; **

"You said it Hagrid," James cheered.

**he reached over the back of the sofa, jerked the gun out of Uncle Vernon's hands, bent it into a knot as easily as if it had been made of rubber, and threw it into a corner of the room. **

"Well that take cares of that," Lily smiled. "I didn't like him having a gun."

**Uncle Vernon made another funny noise, like a mouse being trodden on. **

"Then why don't you scurry away like one, and leave uncle Harry alone," Sirius said.

"**Anyway — Harry," said the giant, turning his back on the Dursleys, "a very happy birthday to yeh. Got summat fer yeh here — I mighta sat on it at some point, but it'll taste all right." **

"Ah, that nice," Lily cooed. "Though you might not want to eat it."

"Actually it wasn't that bad," Harry said to the astonishment of everyone (except Frank and Alice), since they all had experience with Hagrid cooking. "I know. It must have been a first... and last."

"Maybe he didn't cook it," Remus said.

"Yeah, it doesn't say, he probably had a house elf make it," Sirius said.

**From an inside pocket of his black overcoat he pulled a slightly squashed box. Harry opened it with trembling fingers. Inside was a large, sticky chocolate cake with Happy Birthday Harry written on it in green icing. **

"Why did he pick green?" Sirius asked.

"Maybe to match my eyes or something," Harry guessed.

"Huh, maybe."

**Harry looked up at the giant. He meant to say thank you, but the words got lost on the way to his mouth, and what he said instead was, "Who are you?"**

"Harry James Potter, use your manners," Lily shouted towards her son.

"Mum…"

"James?" James asked, a little surprised at her choice of middle names.

"It just felt right," Lily said now blushing. "You don't mind, right?"

"Of course not, I kind of like it," James smiled.

"Good, because that is my actual name," Harry smiled.

"Where did you learn your manners?" Lily said remembering what she was talking about before James interrupted her.

"I honestly don't know, I don't think the Dursleys taught me," Harry said hoping his plan would work, and his mum would lay off of him.

"I'm surprised he has any manners at all," Remus added helpfully.

"I guess," Lily conceded.

**The giant chuckled. **

"**True, I haven't introduced meself. Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts." **

**He held out an enormous hand and shook Harry's whole arm. **

"**What about that tea then, eh?" he said, rubbing his hands together. "I'd not say no ter summat stronger if yeh've got it, mind." **

"You will not drink in front of my son, Hagrid," Lily said.

"Well, he does take a swig of something, but its not much," Harry said.

"Hmph," Lily said crossing her arms.

**His eyes fell on the empty grate with the shriveled chip bags in it and he snorted. He bent down over the fireplace; they couldn't see what he was doing but when he drew back a second later, there was a roaring fire there. **

"Yay Hagrid!"

**It filled the whole damp hut with flickering light and Harry felt the warmth wash over him as though he'd sunk into a hot bath. **

**The giant sat back down on the sofa, which sagged under his weight, and began taking all sorts of things out of the pockets of his coat: a copper kettle, a squashy package of sausages, a poker, a teapot, several chipped mugs, and a bottle of some amber liquid that he took a swig from before starting to make tea. **

"How big are his pockets?" Frank asked.

"Big enough for all that and so much more," Harry smiled.

**Soon the hut was full of the sound and smell of sizzling sausage. Nobody said a thing while the giant was working, but as he slid the first six fat, juicy, slightly burnt sausages from the poker, Dudley fidgeted a little. Uncle Vernon said sharply, "Don't touch anything he gives you, Dudley." **

"Like Hagrid would give him anything," Sirius scoffed.

**The giant chuckled darkly. **

"**Yer great puddin' of a son don' need fattenin' anymore, Dursley, don' worry." **

"I love Hagrid."

"So do I, Jamie."

"I know that, Siri. You remind me constantly."

**He passed the sausages to Harry, who was so hungry he had never tasted anything so wonderful, **

"Well he has since, or he's been lying to Mom for years," Ron said, his eyes glazed at the thought of his mom's cooking.

**but he still couldn't take his eyes off the giant. Finally, as nobody seemed about to explain anything, he said, "I'm sorry, but I still don't really know who you are." **

"See, he has some more manners there," Alice said to Lily.

"Yeah," Lily smiled.

**The giant took a gulp of tea and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. **

"**Call me Hagrid," he said, "everyone does. An' like I told yeh, I'm Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts — yeh'll know all about Hogwarts, o' course. **

Sirius clapped a hand to his forehead. "He doesn't know what Hogwarts is? Has this kid lived under a rock?"

"No, under some stairs," Remus said darkly.

Lily's eyes narrowed.

"**Er — no," said Harry. **

**Hagrid looked shocked. **

"**Sorry," Harry said quickly. **

"Don't apologize Harry, it's not your fault," Sirius said, really mad too. "Man, I really wish that I raised you."

"That's kind of a scary thought," Remus said.

"But not as bad as the truth," Frank said and everyone had to agree with that.

"**Sorry?" barked Hagrid, turning to stare at the Dursleys, who shrank back into the shadows. "It's them as should be sorry! I knew yeh weren't gettin' yer letters but I never thought yeh wouldn't even know abou' Hogwarts, fer cryin' out loud! Did yeh never wonder where yer parents learned it all?" **

"Of course he never wondered about that... he didn't know his parents could do magic," Ginny said bitterly. "I don't know how he survived that."

"I had to live without knowing about magic too," Hermione pointed out.

"I guess, but at least you weren't hated and pushed into a broom cupboard," Ginny said.

"**All what?" asked Harry. **

"Hagrid's not going to like that," James grinned.

"**ALL WHAT?" Hagrid thundered. **

"Enough with the yelling."

"Sorry, but there's a lot of yelling in this chapter. Blame Hagrid."

"Hmph."

"**Now wait jus' one second!" **

**He had leapt to his feet. In his anger he seemed to fill the whole hut. The Dursleys were cowering against the wall. **

"**Do you mean ter tell me," he growled at the Dursleys, "that this boy — this boy! — knows nothin' abou' — about ANYTHING?"**

"I didn't really like that, it made be sound like an idiot," Harry said.

"He just meant about our world," Lily said kindly.

"I know, but he didn't say right, I mean I did know some things," Harry said.

**Harry thought this was going a bit far. He had been to school, after all, and his marks weren't bad. **

"**I know some things," he said. "I can, you know, do math and stuff." **

**But Hagrid simply waved his hand and said, "About our world, I mean. Your world. My world. Yer parents' world." **

"**What world?" **

"If I didn't know that he really didn't know any of this I might have thought that he kept saying things like that to set Hagrid off," Sirius laughed.

"It's really not funny, Pads."

"Sorry, Prongs

**Hagrid looked as if he was about to explode. **

"**DURSLEY!" he boomed. **

**Uncle Vernon, who had gone very pale, whispered something that sounded like "Mimblewimble." **

**Hagrid stared wildly at Harry. "But yeh must know about yer mom and dad," he said. "I mean, they're famous. You're famous."**

"No, he has no idea about us," James said harshly.

"Hey, Prongs mate, your famous," Sirius said noticing his friend's dark mood. "Isn't that what we've been working for all along?"

"Yeah," James smiled.

"But he and I are famous for being dead."

"Thanks Lils. You depressed Prongs again."

"**What? My — my mom and dad weren't famous, were they?" **

"**Yeh don' know… yeh don' know…" Hagrid ran his fingers through his hair, fixing Harry with a bewildered stare. **

"**Yeh don' know what yeh are?" he said finally. **

**Uncle Vernon suddenly found his voice. **

"**Stop!" he commanded. "Stop right there, sir! I forbid you to tell the boy anything!"**

"And what are you going to do, glare at him?" Sirius scoffed.

**A braver man than Vernon Dursley would have quailed under the furious look Hagrid now gave him; when Hagrid spoke, his every syllable trembled with rage. **

"**You never told him? Never told him what was in the letter Dumbledore left fer him? I was there! I saw Dumbledore leave it, Dursley! An' you've kept it from him all these years?" **

"**Kept what from me?" said Harry eagerly. **

"**STOP! I FORBID YOU!" yelled Uncle Vernon in panic. **

"Tell him already, Hagrid, the suspense is killing me" Sirius said impatiently.

"Siri, you know what he going to say," Remus smirked at his friend.

"So what, Remi, I want to see what Harry's reaction is going to be like," Sirius smiled.

**Aunt Petunia gave a gasp of horror. **

"**Ah, go boil yer heads, both of yeh," said Hagrid. "Harry — yer a wizard." **

**There was silence inside the hut. Only the sea and the whistling wind could be heard. **

"**I'm a what?" gasped Harry. **

Everyone laughed. "Good reaction Harry."

"Thanks, Padfoot," Harry said rolling his eyes.

"**A wizard, o' course," said Hagrid, sitting back down on the sofa, which groaned and sank even lower, "an' a thumpin' good 'un, I'd say, once yeh've been trained up a bit. With a mum an' dad like yours, what else would yeh be? An' I reckon it's abou' time yeh read yer letter." **

**Harry stretched out his hand at last to take the yellowish envelope, addressed in emerald green to Mr. H. Potter, The Floor, Hut-on-the-Rock, The Sea. He pulled out the letter and read: **

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY **

**Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE **

**(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards) **("That's a lot of accomplishments…")

**Dear Mr. Potter, **

**We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. **

**Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31. **

**Yours sincerely, **

**Minerva McGonagall, **

**Deputy Headmistress **

"That's the same letter I've got," James laughed.

"Hey me too," Sirius said laughing too.

"Idiots," Ginny said shaking her head.

**Questions exploded inside Harry's head like fireworks and he couldn't decide which to ask first. After a few minutes he stammered, "What does it mean, they await my owl?" **

"That's your first question?" Sirius said.

"What, it was the last thing I read," Harry said defensively.

"But there so much more… interesting things you could have ask," Sirius said.

"Leave the poor boy alone, Sirius," Alice said.

"**Gallopin' Gorgons, that reminds me," said Hagrid, clapping a hand to his forehead with enough force to knock over a cart horse, and from yet another pocket inside his overcoat he pulled an owl — a real, live, rather ruffled-looking owl**

"Poor owl," Alice and Lily said.

— **a long quill, and a roll of parchment. With his tongue between his teeth he scribbled a note that Harry could read upside down: **

**Dear Professor Dumbledore, **

**Given Harry his letter. **

**Taking him to buy his things tomorrow. **

**Weather's horrible. Hope you're well. **

**Hagrid **

"Oh, Hagrid."

**Hagrid rolled up the note, gave it to the owl, which clamped it in its beak, went to the door, and threw the owl out into the storm. Then he came back and sat down as though this was as normal as talking on the telephone. **

"Well in our world it is," Hermione said.

"What's a telephone, and how is that normal?" James asked.

"It's a way Muggles have to communicate with each other, kind of like floo calling," Lily explained.

**Harry realized his mouth was open and closed it quickly. **

"**Where was I?" said Hagrid, but at that moment, Uncle Vernon, still ashen-faced but looking very angry, moved into the firelight. **

"**He's not going," he said. **

**Hagrid grunted. **

"**I'd like ter see a great Muggle like you stop him," he said. **

"**A what?" said Harry, interested. **

"**A Muggle," said Hagrid, "it's what we call nonmagic folk like them. An' it's your bad luck you grew up in a family o' the biggest Muggles I ever laid eyes on." **

"Does he mean that they're too normal or that they're anti-wizards?" Remus asked.

"I think anti-wizards," Lily said. "But they are horribly normal and strive to stay that way."

"**We swore when we took him in we'd put a stop to that rubbish," said Uncle Vernon, "swore we'd stamp it out of him! Wizard indeed!" **

"**You knew?" said Harry. "You knew I'm a — a wizard?" **

"Of course they knew," Lily said bitterly. "How could you do this Petunia?"

"**Knew!" shrieked Aunt Petunia suddenly. "Knew! Of course we knew! How could you not be, my dratted sister being what she was? **

"Lily's not dratted you horse," James said.

**Oh, she got a letter just like that and disappeared off to that — that school — and came home every vacation with her pockets full of frog spawn, turning teacups into rats. **

"Did you really do that?" Sirius said.

"Yeah, once," Lily said.

"But what about the underage…" Sirius asked.

"It was to show my parents that I was really learning something," Lily said.

"That's so not fair," Sirius pouted.

**I was the only one who saw her for what she was — a freak! **

"I hate it when she calls me that," Lily said in a small voice, she really did miss the sister she had before she learned she was a witch.

James, who was about to yell in defense of his girlfriend again, just put his arm around her and pulled her into his chest.

"I hate it too," Harry said looking down. Lily shifted out of James' grip and hugged her son.

**But for my mother and father, oh no, it was Lily this and Lily that, they were proud of having a witch in the family!" **

**She stopped to draw a deep breath and then went ranting on. It seemed she had been wanting to say all this for years. **

"Probably has."

"**Then she met that Potter at school and they left and got married and had you, and of course I knew you'd be just the same, just as strange, just as — as —abnormal — and then, if you please, she went and got herself blown up and we got landed with you!" **

"I can't believe she told you like that," Alice said.

**Harry had gone very white. As soon as he found his voice he said, "Blown up? You told me they died in a car crash!" **

"**CAR CRASH!" roared Hagrid, jumping up so angrily that the Dursleys scuttled back to their corner. "How could a car crash kill Lily an' James Potter? It's an outrage! A scandal! Harry Potter not knowin' his own story when every kid in our world knows his name!" **

"So Nev, did I live up to my name," Harry asked his friend.

"I guess," Neville said. "You are pretty cool and mysterious."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"Everyone was always talking about you, and spreading all of these weird rumors all the time," Neville smiled.

"**But why? What happened?" Harry asked urgently. **

**The anger faded from Hagrid's face. He looked suddenly anxious. **

"**I never expected this," he said, in a low, worried voice. "I had no idea, when Dumbledore told me there might be trouble gettin' hold of yeh, how much yeh didn't know. Ah, Harry, I don' know if I'm the right person ter tell yeh — but someone's gotta — yeh can't go off ter Hogwarts not knowin'." **

"I wonder what would have happen if I went without knowing," Harry mused.

"You would have been terrified at all the people staring at you," Neville said.

"I was still terrified," Harry chuckled.

"Well then you would look like an idiot, not even knowing your own past," Sirius said.

**He threw a dirty look at the Dursleys. **

"**Well, it's best yeh know as much as I can tell yeh — mind, I can't tell yeh everythin', it's a great myst'ry, parts of it…" **

**He sat down, stared into the fire for a few seconds, and then said, "It begins, I suppose, with — with a person called — but it's incredible yeh don't know his name, everyone in our world knows —" **

"**Who?" **

"**Well — I don' like sayin' the name if I can help it. No one does." **

"**Why not?" **

"So innocent," Sirius cooed at Harry.

"Hey."

"And he appears to stay that way," James said teasing his son.

"Hey," Harry repeated.

"**Gulpin' gargoyles, Harry, people are still scared. Blimey, this is difficult. See, there was this wizard who went… bad. As bad as you could go. Worse. Worse than worse. His name was…" **

**Hagrid gulped, but no words came out. **

"Just spit it out already," James said impatiently.

"I think he's just doing this to build suspense," Alice said.

"Maybe, Hagrid does like to tell his stories," Hermione laughed. "And he's good at telling them."

"But he NEVER says Voldemort's name! Ever!"

"**Could you write it down?" Harry suggested. **

"**Nah — can't spell it. All right —Voldemort. " **

"Wow, you actually got him to say it," James said in surprise.

**Hagrid shuddered. "Don' make me say it again. Anyway, this — this wizard, about twenty years ago now, started lookin' fer followers. Got 'em, too — some were afraid, some just wanted a bit o' his power, 'cause he was gettin' himself power, all right. Dark days, Harry. Didn't know who ter trust, didn't dare get friendly with strange wizards or witches… terrible things happened. He was takin' over. 'Course, some stood up to him — an' he killed 'em. Horribly. One o' the only safe places left was Hogwarts. Reckon Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was afraid of. Didn't dare try takin' the school, not jus' then, anyway. **

Everyone from the shivered at that.

"**Now, yer mum an' dad were as good a witch an' wizard as I ever knew. Head boy an' girl at Hogwarts in their day! Suppose the myst'ry is why You-Know-Who never tried to get 'em on his side before… probably knew they were too close ter Dumbledore ter want anythin' ter do with the Dark Side. **

"As if we would ever join him," James said.

"Never," Lily added heatedly.

"**Maybe he thought he could persuade 'em… maybe he just wanted 'em outta the way. All anyone knows is, he turned up in the village where you was all living, on Halloween ten years ago. You was just a year old. He came ter yer house an' — an' —" **

Everyone was now very white, James was holding his girlfriend, Sirius was looking at the two with an expression of pure pain; he couldn't lose his brother. Remus was likewise looking like he was in pain; two of his friends, people who he loved were going to die in less then four years.

**Hagrid suddenly pulled out a very dirty, spotted handkerchief and blew his nose with a sound like a foghorn. **

"**Sorry," he said. "But it's that sad — knew yer mum an' dad, an' nicer people yeh couldn't find — anyway… **

"**You-Know-Who killed 'em. An' then — an' this is the real myst'ry of the thing — he tried to kill you, too. Wanted ter make a clean job of it, I suppose, or maybe he just liked killin' by then. But he couldn't do it. **

"Why though?" Lily asked. "How did you survive?" Harry just smiled at her.

"See, it's really annoying, isn't it Lils?" Sirius said.

"Yes."

**Never wondered how you got that mark on yer forehead? That was no ordinary cut. That's what yeh get when a powerful, evil curse touches yeh — took care of yer mum an' dad an' yer house, even — but it didn't work on you, an' that's why yer famous, Harry. **

"I thought he was famous for stopping Voldemort not just surviving the curse," Ron said.

"Well he was in a few extra books because he survived the killing curse," Hermione said. "So in a way what Hagrid said was true too."

**No one ever lived after he decided ter kill 'em, no one except you, an' he'd killed some o' the best witches an' wizards of the age — the McKinnons, the Bones, the Prewetts **

"Oh dear Merlin, I hope that doesn't mean that he killed them all," Alice asked.

"No, there is a Bones in our year," Neville said. "But yes it does mean Marlene, gran said you were friends."

"No," Alice said tearing up.

"Its okay, love," Frank said putting his arms around her.

"Does it mean Fabian or Gideon?" Sirius asked, the older boys were pranksters themselves and had taught the marauders some things in the past.

"Both," Harry said sadly, he had just recently found out that they were Mrs. Weasley's, no Molly's (she had asked him to call her that), brothers.

"That sucks, they were cool. At least their older sister is okay right?" Remus said.

"She married Arthur Weasley if I'm not mistaken and had a couple of kids. She is okay right?" asked Ron, fighting to keep a straight face.

"Yeah, I think so," Harry said trying not to smile (not that it was that hard with the depressing topic).

"Good," Sirius said. "She is the best cook I know, it would have been a shame if she was gone."

"Sirius," Lily said hitting him in the arm.

"What, oh yeah you're a good cook too," Sirius said rubbing his arm.

_It really was good to have a clown sometimes,_ Harry mused, _it sure does lighten the mood._ Then he remembered Fred, it was something that he would have done, try to distract people from their grief, and it made him sad all over again.

"I think I should continue now," Alice said in a thick voice.

— **an' you was only a baby, an' you lived." **

**Something very painful was going on in Harry's mind. As Hagrid's story came to a close, he saw again the blinding flash of green light, more clearly than he had ever remembered it before — and he remembered something else, for the first time in his life: a high, cold, cruel laugh. **

"Hmph," Sirius said as everyone else shivered.

**Hagrid was watching him sadly. **

"**Took yeh from the ruined house myself, on Dumbledore's orders. Brought yeh ter this lot…." **

"**Load of old tosh," said Uncle Vernon. Harry jumped; he had almost forgotten that the Dursleys were there. Uncle Vernon certainly seemed to have got back his courage. He was glaring at Hagrid and his fists were clenched. **

"**Now, you listen here, boy," he snarled, "I accept there's something strange about you,**

"What's his point?" James said gritting his teeth.

"To be as annoying as he possible can be," Sirius smiled at her.

**probably nothing a good beating wouldn't have cured **

"He didn't touch you did he," Lily said, if her son was beaten physically along with all the mental abuse he had been put through, she didn't know what she would do, but it wouldn't have been pretty.

"No," Harry said.

"Well, that's good at least," James said, though there was no happiness in his voice.

— **and as for all this about your parents, well, they were weirdoes, no denying it, and the world's better off without them in my opinion **

"No it's not!" both Remus and Sirius shouted at the same time.

"Thanks guys, it nice to know you care," James smiled sadly at his friends.

— **asked for all they got, getting mixed up with these wizarding types — just what I expected, always knew they'd come to a sticky end -" **

**But at that moment, Hagrid leapt from the sofa and drew a battered pink umbrella from inside his coat. **

"That would be his broken wand," James said. "Did you ever find out why he was expelled?"

"Maybe," Harry said bemused.

**Pointing this at Uncle Vernon like a sword, he said, "I'm warning you, Dursley — I'm warning you — one more word…" **

**In danger of being speared on the end of an umbrella by a bearded giant, Uncle Vernon's courage failed again; he flattened himself against the wall and fell silent. **

"Hagrid wouldn't speared him, he was going to use magic on him," Alice said.

"**That's better," said Hagrid, breathing heavily and sitting back down on the sofa, which this time sagged right down to the floor. **

**Harry, meanwhile, still had questions to ask, hundreds of them. **

"**But what happened to Vol-, sorry — I mean, You-Know-Who?" **

"No Harry you should say his name," Lily said. "There's no point in being afraid of a name."

"Don't worry mum, I have no problem saying Voldemort," Harry said.

"Good."

"**Good question, Harry. Disappeared. Vanished. Same night he tried ter kill you. Makes yeh even more famous. That's the biggest myst'ry, see… he was gettin' more an' more powerful — why'd he go? **

"Because he lost his body," Ron muttered to his friends.

"**Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die. **

"He's not dead," Alice said turning white. "But I thought…"

"You'll see," Harry said grimacing

**Some say he's still out there, bidin' his time, like, but I don' believe it. People who was on his side came back ter ours. Some of 'em came outta kinda trances. **

"Or pretended to," James said.

**Don' reckon they could've done if he was comin' back. **

"**Most of us reckon he's still out there somewhere but lost his powers. Too weak to carry on. 'Cause somethin' about you finished him, Harry. There was somethin' goin' on that night he hadn't counted on — I dunno what it was, no one does **

"I bet someone does," Lily said.

"Dumbledore!"

— **but somethin' about you stumped him, all right."**

"So you're famous for defeating Voldemort, but he's not really gone," Remus mused.

**Hagrid looked at Harry with warmth and respect blazing in his eyes, but Harry, instead of feeling pleased and proud, felt quite sure there had been a horrible mistake. **

"Yup, that sounds like you," Hermione said and everyone from the future laughed.

**A wizard? Him? How could he possibly be? He'd spent his life being clouted by Dudley, and bullied by Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon; if he was really a wizard, why hadn't they been turned into warty toads every time they'd tried to lock him in his cupboard? If he'd once defeated the greatest sorcerer in the world, how come Dudley had always been able to kick him around like a football? **

"That would be funny, but unfortunately it's not how it works," Sirius laughed.

"Too bad," Harry said.

"**Hagrid," he said quietly, "I think you must have made a mistake. I don't think I can be a wizard." **

**To his surprise, Hagrid chuckled. **

"**Not a wizard, eh? Never made things happen when you was scared or angry?" **

**Harry looked into the fire. Now he came to think about it… every odd thing that had ever made his aunt and uncle furious with him had happened when he, Harry, had been upset or angry… chased by Dudley's gang, he had somehow found himself out of their reach… dreading going to school with that ridiculous haircut, he'd managed to make it grow back…**

"Now, I'm not so sure about that one. It could just be the Potter hair," James joked.**  
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** and the very last time Dudley had hit him, hadn't he got his revenge, without even realizing he was doing it? Hadn't he set a boa constrictor on him? **

"You didn't really set the boa constrictor on him," James said. "You just freed him."

"I know," Harry said. "I guess I could have really though."

"It doesn't sound like something you would do," James said.

"No, but it would have been funny seeing how scared Dudley would have gotten," Harry laughed.

"True," James said laughing hard at that image.

**Harry looked back at Hagrid, smiling, and saw that Hagrid was positively beaming at him. **

"**See?" said Hagrid. "Harry Potter, not a wizard — you wait, you'll be right famous at Hogwarts."**

"He wasn't lying there," Harry huffed. "Wish I wasn't though."

"Why?" both James and Sirius said, they always liked their fame.

"I don't fancy being famous for something that I don't remember," Harry said exasperated

"I guess," Sirius said, but still looked like he would like the fame.

**But Uncle Vernon wasn't going to give in without a fight. **

"**Haven't I told you he's not going?" he hissed. "He's going to Stonewall High and he'll be grateful for it. I've read those letters and he needs all sorts of rubbish — spell books and wands and —" **

"**If he wants ter go, a great Muggle like you won't stop him," growled Hagrid. "Stop Lily an' James Potter's son goin' ter Hogwarts! Yer mad. His name's been down ever since he was born. **

"Actually every witch or wizard's name is written down when they are born, even the Muggle-borns," Hermione said knowledgeably.

"Thanks for that useless bit of knowledge, know-it-all," Ron teased and Mione stuck his tongue out at him.

**He's off ter the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world. Seven years there and he won't know himself. He'll be with youngsters of his own sort, fer a change, an' he'll be under the greatest headmaster Hogwarts ever had Albus Dumbled—" **

"**I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" yelled Uncle Vernon. **

"He shouldn't have said that," Sirius said amused.

"Why?" Frank asked, he didn't spend that much time with Hagrid.

"Hagrid loves Dumbledore," James grinned. "This should be good."

**But he had finally gone too far. Hagrid seized his umbrella and whirled it over his head, "NEVER —" he thundered, "— INSULT — ALBUS — DUMBLEDORE — IN — FRONT — OF — ME!" He brought the umbrella swishing down through the air to point at Dudley — there was a flash of violet light, a sound like a firecracker, a sharp squeal, and the next second, Dudley was dancing on the spot with his hands clasped over his fat bottom, howling in pain. When he turned his back on them, Harry saw a curly pig's tail poking through a hole in his trousers. **

"That's great," Sirius said and everyone laughed.

**Uncle Vernon roared. Pulling Aunt Petunia and Dudley into the other room, he cast one last terrified look at Hagrid and slammed the door behind them. **

**Hagrid looked down at his umbrella and stroked his beard. **

"**Shouldn'ta lost me temper," he said ruefully, "but it didn't work anyway. Meant ter turn him into a pig, but I suppose he was so much like a pig anyway there wasn't much left ter do." **

"Good old Hagrid," James laughed.

**He cast a sideways look at Harry under his bushy eyebrows. **

"**Be grateful if yeh didn't mention that ter anyone at Hogwarts," he said. "I'm — er — not supposed ter do magic, strictly speakin'. I was allowed ter do a bit ter follow yeh an' get yer letters to yeh an' stuff — one o' the reasons I was so keen ter take on the job." **

"Thanks, that makes me feel special," Harry said sarcastically.

"Come on Harry, Hagrid loves you," Neville said.

"**Why aren't you supposed to do magic?" asked Harry. **

"**Oh, well — I was at Hogwarts meself but I — er — got expelled, ter tell yeh the truth. In me third year. They snapped me wand in half an' everything. But Dumbledore let me stay on as gamekeeper. Great man, Dumbledore." **

"**Why were you expelled?" **

"That's kind of personal Harry," Lily reprimanded her son.

"I was curious," Harry immediately defended. "Besides, don't you want to know?"

"That's beside the point," Lily said.

"Fine, then, I won't tell you why," Harry smiled. Lily glared at him, but he didn't budge.

"He can take Lily's glare," Sirius said to James. "Your son had guts."

"No, I'm just used to glares," Harry said.

"I'm pretty sure you have guts too, Harry," Neville said, bemused.

Harry just shrugged.

"**It's gettin' late and we've got lots ter do tomorrow," said Hagrid loudly. "Gotta get up ter town, get all yer books an' that." **

**He took off his thick black coat and threw it to Harry. **

"**You can kip under that," he said. "Don' mind if it wriggles a bit, I think I still got a couple o' doormice in one o' the pockets."**

"That's it," Neville said.

"I'm next," James said holding out his hand for the book. He smiled as he read the chapter title...

**"Diagon Alley.."**

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><p><strong>AN:** **I'll send you a cookie if you review. And I happen to know where you live. Or I could try to make money fall from the sky. Really, good things happen when you review my story. Haha. But please REVIEW!  
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	6. Diagon Alley

Haha. Quick update. Don't get used to it, though, I only did this because I'm procrastinating on my homework. School has started again, so enjoy the next nine months of authors notes ranting about how much I hate Math and Spanish classes. Anyways, I need to know:

SHOULD I CONTINUE AND DO MORE BOOKS?

I'm pretty I'm going to continue, but I'm not sure. But I KNOW I will if I get about 100-ish reviews so...yeah. Anyway. As usual, I would like to give a shout-out to:

**PureAwesomeness13**

**giants249**

**Sleepyreader13**

**Anonymous**

**ProngsandI**

for reviewing. Luv ya guys!

**Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, I would be super rich and would not bother writing this.  
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><p>""<strong>Diagon Alley,"<strong> James read then smiled.

"I remember by first visit to Diagon Alley." Lily said

"It is great place," James said.

"It is, but it was different for me then it was for you," Lily said.

"Why?" James said confused.

"Because I had never seen magic like that before," Lily smiled. "It truly was the most amazing thing I had ever seen."

"Yeah, it was," Harry smiled. He was the only other one in the room that was raised as a Muggle besides Hermione.

**Harry woke early the next morning. Although he could tell it was daylight, he kept his eyes shut tight. **

**It was a dream, **

"It wasn't a dream," James scoffed. "How could you think it was a dream?"

"Because it's impossible to believe that everything he wished for and more was real," Hermione said. "I mean he finally is taken away from the Dursleys, for most of the year at least…"

"Okay I get it," James groaned.

**he told himself firmly. I dreamed a giant called Hagrid came to tell me I was going to a school for wizards. When I open my eyes I'll be at home in my cupboard. **

**There was suddenly a loud tapping noise. **

**And there's Aunt Petunia knocking on the door, Harry thought, his heart sinking.**

"Man that's just sad," Sirius said.

"It is kind of hard to believe at first," Lily defended her son.

"But to think it's a dream…"

"Well its something I dreamt about before," Harry said in defense of himself. "Not the magic part, but the part were I got to leave for somewhere else, I dreamed that all the time."

"But…"

"Just, shut up Pads," James said before he continued reading.

**But he still didn't open his eyes. It had been such a good dream.**

**Tap. Tap. Tap. **

"**All right," Harry mumbled, "I'm getting up." **

**He sat up and Hagrid's heavy coat fell off him. The hut was full of sunlight, the storm was over, Hagrid himself was asleep on the collapsed sofa, and there was an owl rapping its claw on the window, a newspaper held in its beak. **

"He better hurry, news owls get a bit snappy when they don't make a delivery fast," Ginny said laughing, remembering the time when they didn't pay the owl quickly enough and it pecked at Ron's head (though that might have been because Teddy was trying to feed the owl one of George's many sweets but that doesn't make it any less funny).

**Harry scrambled to his feet, so happy he felt as though a large balloon was swelling inside him. He went straight to the window and jerked it open. **

"You're really happy," Sirius said, and Harry just glared at him. For the first time Sirius noticed how much Harry's eyes looked like his mum's, and it made him shiver.

**The owl swooped in and dropped the newspaper on top of Hagrid, who didn't wake up. The owl then fluttered onto the floor and began to attack Hagrid's coat. **

"**Don't do that."**

"That won't work."

**Harry tried to wave the owl out of the way, but it snapped its beak fiercely at him and carried on savaging the coat. **

"**Hagrid!" said Harry loudly. "There's an owl —" **

"**Pay him," Hagrid grunted into the sofa. **

"Oh that's nice, only he doesn't know how," Lily said.

"**What?" **

"**He wants payin' fer deliverin' the paper. Look in the pockets." **

**Hagrid's coat seemed to be made of nothing but pockets — bunches of keys, slug pellets, balls of string, peppermint humbugs, teabags… finally, Harry pulled out a handful of strange-looking coins. **

"Again, how many pockets are there?"

"**Give him five Knuts," said Hagrid sleepily. **

"**Knuts?" **

"**The little bronze ones." **

**Harry counted out five little bronze coins, and the owl held out his leg so Harry could put the money into a small leather pouch tied to it. Then he flew off through the open window. **

**Hagrid yawned loudly, sat up, and stretched. **

"Oh, so now you get up. Not when Harry was trying to pay the owl," James said, shaking his head.

"**Best be off, Harry, lots ter do today, gotta get up ter London an' buy all yer stuff fer school." **

**Harry was turning over the wizard coins and looking at them. He had just thought of something that made him feel as though the happy balloon inside him had got a puncture.**

"Oh no…. not the happy balloon," Sirius gasped in horror.

"Idiot," Remus said shaking his head.

"That is a weird description though, what's with the balloon?" Lily asked.

"What was it that punctured it?" James asked.

Remus rolled his eyes and hit James on the back of the head. "Just because Padfoot was distracted and didn't talk doesn't mean you have to ask his stupid question Prongs."

"But if I don't, no one will, and they should be asked," James grinned.

"No they shouldn't," Remus just shook his head at his friend.

"**Um — Hagrid?" **

"**Mm?" said Hagrid, who was pulling on his huge boots. **

"**I haven't got any money — and you heard Uncle Vernon last night… he won't pay for me to go and learn magic." **

"Sure you do," James said. "I don't mean to brag, but I'm pretty well off and I'm sure I left it all to you."

"Yeah, you did," Harry said.

"**Don't worry about that," said Hagrid, standing up and scratching his head. "D'yeh think yer parents didn't leave yeh anything?" **

"**But if their house was destroyed —" **

"Why would we keep it in the house?" James asked. "Is that what Muggles do?"

"No, they have banks too," Lily said.

"**They didn' keep their gold in the house, boy! Nah, first stop fer us is Gringotts. Wizards' bank. Have a sausage, they're not bad cold — an' I wouldn' say no teh a bit o' yer birthday cake, neither." **

"**Wizards have banks?" **

"**Just the one. Gringotts. Run by goblins." **

**Harry dropped the bit of sausage he was holding. **

"**Goblins?" **

"**Yeah — so yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it, I'll tell yeh that. Never mess with goblins, Harry. **

"Yeah Harry never mess with goblins," Neville muttered so only his friend could hear.

"Shut up," Harry said blushing a little, which just cause Neville to laugh quietly.

"I bet Harry robs Gringotts someday," Lily announced over Neville. Harry just stared at his mum. How could she possibly know that?

"What? No way," said Remus, and Sirius nodded.

"Nobody in their right minds would rob Gringotts," he added, causing Neville to look pointedly at the trio, who blushed.

"Well what if they had a good reason? Like there was something in a vault that they absolutely needed?" asked James. "I'm with Lily on this one." Harry immediately became a strong believer of parent's intuition.

"Fine." Sirius held out some money and counted it. "Seven galleons says he doesn't rob it."

"You're on."

**Gringotts is the safest place in the world fer anything yeh want ter keep safe**

"Psh. Except Hogwarts," Ginny said.

— **'cept maybe Hogwarts. **

Ginny grinned. She loved Hagrid.

**As a matter o' fact, I gotta visit Gringotts anyway. Fer Dumbledore. Hogwarts business." Hagrid drew himself up proudly. "He usually gets me ter do important stuff fer him. Fetchin' you — gettin' things from Gringotts — knows he can trust me, see." **

"He really shouldn't have said that with Harry there," Neville mused.

"No he shouldn't," Harry laugh. "But Hagrid didn't know me yet."

"But he knew us," James said, gesturing to himself and Lily, "and he wouldn't say anything like that near us, so why did he say it near you?"

"**Got everythin'? Come on, then." Harry followed Hagrid out onto the rock. The sky was quite clear now and the sea gleamed in the sunlight. The boat Uncle Vernon had hired was still there, with a lot of water in the bottom after the storm. **

"**How did you get here?" Harry asked, looking around for another boat. **

"**Flew," said Hagrid. **

"Flew… I didn't know that he could fly," James said.

"I don't think he meant literally fly," Lily said.

'Neither did I," James smirked. "I just meant I didn't think anything could support Hagrid…"

"**Flew?" **

"**Yeah — but we'll go back in this. Not s'pposed ter use magic now I've got yeh." **

**They settled down in the boat, Harry still staring at Hagrid, trying to imagine him flying. **

"It does seem a bit odd doesn't it," James said. "I can't imagine him on a broom."

"It would break before he left the ground," Frank said.

Sirius thought that maybe Hagrid took his motorcycle, but he didn't comment.

"**Seems a shame ter row, though," said Hagrid, giving Harry another of his sideways looks. "If I was ter — er — speed things up a bit, would yeh mind not mentionin' it at Hogwarts?" **

"**Of course not," said Harry, eager to see more magic. **

"I felt the same way," said Lily fondly.

**Hagrid pulled out the pink umbrella again, tapped it twice on the side of the boat, and they sped off toward land. **

"**Why would you be mad to try and rob Gringotts?" Harry asked. **

"Why Harry, is that something you want to do?" James asked, feeling good about the bet, and the trio, Neville, and Ginny had a hard time hiding their laughter.

"**Spells — enchantments," said Hagrid, unfolding his newspaper as he spoke. "They say there's dragons guardin' the high security vaults. **

"Cool," James said and Sirius added, "Dragons are awesome."

"I guess," Harry said not sure how he felt about dragons after his many encounters with them.

James gave his son a questioning look, but didn't say anything; he knew he wouldn't get an answer, so why bother asking.

Sirius, on the other hand, didn't bother with that, but added, "And there are dragons. The Lestranges have one guarding their vault. They were bragging about it during some party when I was young."

**And then yeh gotta find yer way — Gringotts is hundreds of miles under London, see. Deep under the Underground. Yeh'd die of hunger tryin' ter get out, even if yeh did manage ter get yer hands on summat." **

"That does sound difficult," Neville said trying not to look at Harry, in case someone noticed. _Just chalk it up to another of the impossible things that Harry was able to do,_ Neville thought to himself.

"I wouldn't try it if I were you," Remus said, amused, hoping he was on the right side of the bet.

"Don't worry, _I_ never would," Neville said keeping the smirk off his face.

"Stop that," Harry hissed in Neville ear. "I'm about to lose it here."

**Harry sat and thought about this while Hagrid read his newspaper, the Daily Prophet. Harry had learned from Uncle Vernon that people liked to be left alone while they did this, but it was very difficult, he'd never had so many questions in his life. **

"**Ministry o' Magic messin' things up as usual," Hagrid muttered, turning the page. **

"**There's a Ministry of Magic?" Harry asked, before he could stop himself. **

"Of course."

"'**Course," said Hagrid. "They wanted Dumbledore fer Minister, o' course, but he'd never leave Hogwarts, so old Cornelius Fudge got the job. Bungler if ever there was one. So he pelts Dumbledore with owls every morning, askin' fer advice." **

"**But what does a Ministry of Magic do?" **

"**Well, their main job is to keep it from the Muggles that there's still witches an' wizards up an' down the country."**

"It does so much more then that," Alice said.

"**Why?" **

"You're a bit slow, Harry," Ron told his friend.

"**Why? Blimey, Harry, everyone'd be wantin' magic solutions to their problems. Nah, we're best left alone." **

"Hear, hear."

**At this moment the boat bumped gently into the harbor wall. Hagrid folded up his newspaper, and they clambered up the stone steps onto the street. **

**Passersby stared a lot at Hagrid as they walked through the little town to the station. Harry couldn't blame them. Not only was Hagrid twice as tall as anyone else, he kept pointing at perfectly ordinary things like parking meters and saying loudly, "See that, Harry? Things these Muggles dream up, eh?" **

"You've got to love Hagrid," Lily said fondly. "Not an ounce of common sense, but the nicest bloke you'll ever meet."

"I couldn't have put it better myself," Hermione laughed.

"**Hagrid," said Harry, panting a bit as he ran to keep up, "did you say there are dragons at Gringotts?" **

"**Well, so they say," said Hagrid. "Crikey, I'd like a dragon." **

"Here we go."

"**You'd like one?" **

"**Wanted one ever since I was a kid — here we go." **

"Yep. Hagrid's still Hagrid."

**They had reached the station. There was a train to London in five minutes' time. Hagrid, who didn't understand "Muggle money," as he called it, gave the bills to Harry so he could buy their tickets.**

"Really, it's not that hard to understand," Lily said.

**People stared more than ever on the train. Hagrid took up two seats and sat knitting what looked like a canary-yellow circus tent. **

"**Still got yer letter, Harry?" he asked as he counted stitches. **

"Little late if he didn't."

**Harry took the parchment envelope out of his pocket. **

"**Good," said Hagrid. "There's a list there of everything yeh need." **

**Harry unfolded a second piece of paper he hadn't noticed the night before, and read: **

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY **

**UNIFORM **

**First-year students will require: **

**1. Three sets of plain work robes (black) **

**2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear** (No one ever wears those.)

**3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar) **

**4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings) **

**Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags **(No one wears those either.)

**COURSE BOOKS **

**All students should have a copy of each of the following: **

**The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)by Miranda Goshawk **(That hasn't changed.)

**A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot **(Neither has that.)

**Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling **

**A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch **

**One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore **

**Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger **

**Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander** (Luna perked up at that, as her boyfriend is Newt Scamander's grandson, Rolf.)

**The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble**

**OTHER EQUIPMENT **

**1 wand **

**1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2) **

**1 set of glass or crystal phials **

**1 telescope set **

**1 brass scales **

**Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad **(What about a rat?)

**PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS **

"Some of those books are different then ours," Lily said.

"Well, he had different teacher, they must have preferred different books," Sirius said. "That Magical Drafts and Potions book actually sounds interesting."

"You think that it might have made you in interested in Potions then," James teased.

"I was always interested in Potions," Sirius said stiffly. "I just was never good at it."

"Sorry, my bad," James laughed.

"'The Dark Forces, book was different," Lily said.

"That makes sense though, since there's never the same Professor two years in a row." James retorted.

"I guess," Lily admitted.

"Is the job still cursed," Remus asked. "You said I was only your teacher for a year so…"

"Yeah the job was still cursed," Neville said. "We never had the same Defense Professor twice either."

"**Can we buy all this in London?" Harry wondered aloud. **

"**If yeh know where to go," said Hagrid. **

**Harry had never been to London before. Although Hagrid seemed to know where he was going, he was obviously not used to getting there in an ordinary way. He got stuck in the ticket barrier on the Underground, and complained loudly that the seats were too small and the trains too slow. **

"**I don't know how the Muggles manage without magic," **

"Actually I think it's impressive how they manage," Jmes said. "Their techlogy…"

"Technology," Lily corrected.

"Right," James said rolling his eyes. "Their 'Technology' is very remarkable and some of the time almost like magic."

**he said as they climbed a broken-down escalator that led up to a bustling road lined with shops. **

**Hagrid was so huge that he parted the crowd easily; all Harry had to do was keep close behind him. They passed book shops and music stores, hamburger restaurants and cinemas, but nowhere that looked as if it could sell you a magic wand.**

"Of course not," Sirius scoffed.

**This was just an ordinary street full of ordinary people. Could there really be piles of wizard gold buried miles beneath them? Were there really shops that sold spell books and broomsticks? Might this not all be some huge joke that the Dursleys had cooked up?**

"Yeah right Harry, the Dursleys don't have the imagination to think of something like this," James said.

**If Harry hadn't known that the Dursleys had no sense of humor, he might have thought so; yet somehow, even though everything Hagrid had told him so far was unbelievable, Harry couldn't help trusting him. **

"Hagrid will do that to you."

"**This is it," said Hagrid, coming to a halt, "the Leaky Cauldron. It's a famous place." **

**It was a tiny, grubby-looking pub. If Hagrid hadn't pointed it out, Harry wouldn't have noticed it was there. The people hurrying by didn't glance at it. Their eyes slid from the big book shop on one side to the record shop on the other as if they couldn't see the Leaky Cauldron at all. **

"Because they couldn't." Hermione rolled her eyes.

**In fact, Harry had the most peculiar feeling that only he and Hagrid could see it.**

"Well it looks like Harry was observant," Ron said.

**Before he could mention this, Hagrid had steered him inside. **

**For a famous place, it was very dark and shabby. A few old women were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat**

"Diggle."

**was talking to the old bartender, who was quite bald and looked like a toothless walnut. **

"Tom."

**The low buzz of chatter stopped when they walked in. Everyone seemed to know Hagrid; they waved and smiled at him, and the bartender reached for a glass, saying, "The usual, Hagrid?" **

"I bet everything goes silent when they realize Harry there," Neville said.

"Is he that famous?" Remus asked.

"Yeah," Neville said. "Not to mention we haven't heard a single word about him since he defeated Voldemort (Harry smiled proudly at his friend's use of the most evil wizard's name)…lets just say there wasn't a person in the wizarding world that didn't want to meet Harry Potter."

"Why do you always say Harry Potter?" Lily asked, noticing the boy always called her son this and wasn't sure she liked it.

"Well," Neville said, flushing red under Lily's glare (though it wasn't that bad of one). "I'm not really talking about Harry am I, I'm just talking about what everyone thought Harry Potter was."

"Oh," Lily blushed. "That make sense, sorry."

"No, it's cool," Neville said. "It took awhile to see that Harry was just like the rest of us, and treat him like everyone else."

"I thought you always treated me normally," Harry said.

"I tried," Neville said shrugging his shoulders. "I wouldn't want all the attention either so I figured it was the best to leave you alone."

"Thanks," Harry smiled.

"**Can't, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business," said Hagrid, clapping his great hand on Harry's shoulder and making Harry's knees buckle. **

"**Good Lord," said the bartender, peering at Harry, "is this — can this be —?" **

**The Leaky Cauldron had suddenly gone completely still and silent. **

"Ha! Told you!"

"No one doubted you, mate."

"Oh. Right."

"**Bless my soul," whispered the old bartender, "Harry Potter… what an honor." **

**He hurried out from behind the bar, rushed toward Harry and seized his hand, tears in his eyes. **

"**Welcome back, Mr. Potter, welcome back." **

**Harry didn't know what to say. Everyone was looking at him. The old woman with the pipe was puffing on it without realizing it had gone out. Hagrid was beaming. **

**Then there was a great scraping of chairs and the next moment, Harry found himself shaking hands with everyone in the Leaky Cauldron.**

"See, that wouldn't be fun," Neville said.

"I guess I can see where that would be annoying," James said towards his son.

"**Doris Crockford, Mr. Potter, can't believe I'm meeting you at last." **

"**So proud, Mr. Potter, I'm just so proud." **

"**Always wanted to shake your hand — I'm all of a flutter." **

"**Delighted, Mr. Potter, just can't tell you, Diggle's the name, Dedalus Diggle." **

"**I've seen you before!" said Harry, as Dedalus Diggle's top hat fell off in his excitement. "You bowed to me once in a shop." **

"Oh great, just make him more excited," Ron said rolling his eyes.

"**He remembers!" cried Dedalus Diggle, looking around at everyone. "Did you hear that? He remembers me!" Harry shook hands again and again — Doris Crockford kept coming back for more. **

Sirius waggled his eyebrows, but stopped once Lily shot him a death glare.

**A pale young man made his way forward, very nervously. One of his eyes was twitching. **

"**Professor Quirrell!" said Hagrid. "Harry, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts." **

No one but Neville and Luna noticed Harry stiffen at the mention of their first Defense teacher, and the first Death Eater, or at least Voldemort follower, that he had come across.

"**P-P-Potter," stammered Professor Quirrell, grasping Harry's hand, "c-can't t-tell you how p-pleased I am to meet you." **

Harry still never figured out why Quirrell insisted on stuttering all the time, it was really annoying when he tried to teach.

"Argh! That stutter is going to get so annoying!" James yelled, as if reading Harry's thoughts, and Harry had to smile at that.

"**What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?" **

"**D-Defense Against the D-D-Dark Arts," muttered Professor Quirrell, as though he'd rather not think about it. **

"That stutter is already annoying" Frank said.

"Yeah, it was horrible," Neville agreed.

"**N-not that you n-need it, eh, P-P-Potter?" He laughed nervously. "You'll be g-getting all your equipment, I suppose? I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires, m-myself." He looked terrified at the very thought. **

"Coward."

**But the others wouldn't let Professor Quirrell keep Harry to himself. It took almost ten minutes to get away from them all. At last, Hagrid managed to make himself heard over the babble. **

"**Must get on — lots ter buy. Come on, Harry." **

**Doris Crockford shook Harry's hand one last time, and Hagrid led them through the bar and out into a small, walled courtyard, where there was nothing but a trash can and a few weeds. **

"I remember being so confused by that," Lily reminced.

**Hagrid grinned at Harry. **

"**Told yeh, didn't I? Told yeh you was famous. Even Professor Quirrell was tremblin' ter meet yeh — mind you, he's usually tremblin'." **

"**Is he always that nervous?" **

"I hope not."

"**Oh, yeah. Poor bloke. **

"Damn."

**Brilliant mind. He was fine while he was studyin' outta books but then he took a year off ter get some firsthand experience… They say he met vampires in the Black Forest, and there was a nasty bit o' trouble with a hag — never been the same since. Scared of the students, scared of his own subject — now, where's me umbrella?" **

"Then why is he teaching?" Remus asked. "Was he any good?"

"Moony, we said we wouldn't answer any question," Harry said in fake annoyance.

"Not as good as you Professor Lupin," Neville said, causing Remus to blush.

"Oh, I see, you just wanted a compliment," Harry grinned.

"Oh, shut up," Remus said still quite red.

**Vampires? Hags? Harry's head was swimming. Hagrid, meanwhile, was counting bricks in the wall above the trash can. **

"**Three up… two across…" he muttered. "Right, stand back, Harry." **

**He tapped the wall three times with the point of his umbrella. **

"He's almost there," Lily said unable to stop herself. Harry smiled at his mum's excitement.

"Lily…" James started bemused.

Lily blushed and then said in a soft voice, "It's just something I was looking forward to; showing my child the magically world…"

Harry just kept smiling at his mum; this was the other reason why he knew he was doing the right thing coming here. They were going to change things so that they could do all of those things they had always dreamed of doing.

**The brick he had touched quivered — it wriggled — in the middle, a small hole appeared — it grew wider and wider — a second later they were facing an archway large enough even for Hagrid, an archway onto a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight. **

"**Welcome," said Hagrid, "to Diagon Alley." **

Cheers filled the room as Harry just smiled at his family, adopted and otherwise.

**He grinned at Harry's amazement. They stepped through the archway. Harry looked quickly over his shoulder and saw the archway shrink instantly back into solid wall. **

**The sun shone brightly on a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop. Cauldrons — All Sizes — Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver — Self-Stirring — Collapsible, said a sign hanging over them. **

"Collapsible is not a good idea."

"**Yeah, you'll be needin' one," said Hagrid, "but we gotta get yer money first." **

**Harry wished he had about eight more eyes. **

"Argh," Ron said.

"What?" Alice asked looking at him confused.

"That just makes me think of spiders," he said still shivering.

**He turned his head in every direction as they walked up the street, trying to look at everything at once: the shops, the things outside them, the people doing their shopping. A plump woman outside an Apothecary was shaking her head as they passed, saying, "Dragon liver, sixteen Sickles an ounce, they're mad…"**

"They are mad. It's only seven sickles now."

"You know, I think that was Mrs. Weas…Molly," Harry whispered to Neville (still having trouble saying Molly), as he remembered the day.

**A low, soft hooting came from a dark shop with a sign saying Eeylops Owl Emporium — Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown, and Snowy. Several boys of about Harry's age had their noses pressed against a window with broomsticks in it. **

**"Look," Harry heard one of them say, "the new Nimbus Two Thousand — fastest ever —" **

"I want one," both James and Sirius said.

"You better play Quidditch," James told his son.

Harry just smiled as James muttered darkly.

**There were shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes and strange silver instruments Harry had never seen before, windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eels' eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills, and rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon… **

"**Gringotts," said Hagrid. **

**They had reached a snowy white building that towered over the other little shops. Standing beside its burnished bronze doors, wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold, was — **

"It is a beautiful sight, isn't it," Lily said to Harry, who just nodded, trying not to think about the last time he saw the wizarding bank.

"**Yeah, that's a goblin," said Hagrid quietly as they walked up the white stone steps toward him. The goblin was about a head shorter than Harry. **

"Really? Merlin you're short. Not even Prongs was that short!" Sirius exclaimed.

**He had a swarthy, clever face, a pointed beard and, Harry noticed, very long fingers and feet. He bowed as they walked inside. Now they were facing a second pair of doors, silver this time, with words engraved upon them: **

**Enter, stranger, but take heed **

**Of what awaits the sin of greed, **

**For those who take, but do not earn, **

**Must pay most dearly in their turn. **

**So if you seek beneath our floors **

**A treasure that was never yours, **

**Thief, you have been warned, beware **

**Of finding more than treasure there. **

"I always liked that poem," Lily said.

"I didn't." Alice shook her head. "It's creepy."

"**Like I said, Yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it," said Hagrid.**

Neville, Ron, and Hermione had to turn their heads not to laugh, and Harry was having just as hard of a time. He never imagined in a million years that he would rob a Gringotts vault.

**A pair of goblins bowed them through the silver doors and they were in a vast marble hall. About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins in brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses. There were too many doors to count leading off the hall, and yet more goblins were showing people in and out of these. Hagrid and Harry made for the counter. **

"**Morning," said Hagrid to a free goblin. "We've come ter take some money outta Mr. Harry Potter's safe." **

"**You have his key, sir?" **

"**Got it here somewhere," said Hagrid, and he started emptying his pockets onto the counter, scattering a handful of moldy dog biscuits over the goblin's book of numbers. **

"I hope he has it," Lily groaned.

**The goblin wrinkled his nose. Harry watched the goblin on their right weighing a pile of rubies as big as glowing coals. **

"**Got it," said Hagrid at last, holding up a tiny golden key. **

**The goblin looked at it closely. **

"**That seems to be in order." **

"**An' I've also got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore," said Hagrid importantly, throwing out his chest. "It's about the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen."**

"Oh Hagrid if he's anything like me, you shouldn't have said that in his presents," Lily said. "I wonder what the You-Know-What is?"

"I guess you are like her then, Harry," Neville said.

"There's worse people to be like," Harry shrugged and Lily beamed.

**The goblin read the letter carefully. **

"**Very well," he said, handing it back to Hagrid, "I will have someone take you down to both vaults. Griphook!"**

Harry wasn't sure how he felt about Griphook now that it was all over. He did help them, without the goblin's knowledge of the bank there was no way that Harry would have succeeded in getting the cup, but he also betrayed them in the end. He still didn't know what he should do about the sword either, parted of him felt that the goblin had taken the sword and then preceded to lose it himself, so it didn't have anything do with Harry (especially since he really needed the sword at the time). But another part of him thought that he still had to keep his word to the goblin, about giving the sword to him and he felt bad about that.

**Griphook was yet another goblin. **

"Of course he was."

**Once Hagrid had crammed all the dog biscuits back inside his pockets, he and Harry followed Griphook toward one of the doors leading off the hall. **

"**What's the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" Harry asked. **

"**Can't tell yeh that," said Hagrid mysteriously. "Very secret. Hogwarts business. Dumbledore's trusted me. More'n my job's worth ter tell yeh that." **

"And that will just make him more interested," James said. "But he won't say anything to Hagrid about it."

**Griphook held the door open for them. Harry, who had expected more marble, was surprised. They were in a narrow stone passageway lit with flaming torches. It sloped steeply downward and there were little railway tracks on the floor. Griphook whistled and a small cart came hurtling up the tracks toward them. They climbed in — Hagrid with some difficulty — and were off. **

**At first they just hurtled through a maze of twisting passages. Harry tried to remember, left, right, right, left, middle fork, right, left, but it was impossible. **

"He seemed to be doing rather well," Ron said.

"I bet he forgot as soon as he thought it though," Hermione said. "With all the rapid turning you can't really retain the pattern."

**The rattling cart seemed to know its own way, because Griphook wasn't steering. **

**Harry's eyes stung as the cold air rushed past them, but he kept them wide open. Once, he thought he saw a burst of fire at the end of a passage and twisted around to see if it was a dragon, but too late **

"It was."

— **they plunged even deeper, passing an underground lake where huge stalactites and stalagmites grew from the ceiling and floor. **

"**I never know," Harry called to Hagrid over the noise of the cart, "what's the difference between a stalagmite and a stalactite?"**

"Stalagmite's are…." Lily began but Harry stopped her.

"I already know, now."

"**Stalagmite's got an 'm' in it," said Hagrid. "An' don' ask me questions just now, I think I'm gonna be sick." **

"That's not what I was going to say," Lily said and Harry laughed.

"I didn't think you were," he said causing everyone to laugh. "Only Hagrid could get away with saying something like that."

**He did look very green, and when the cart stopped at last beside a small door in the passage wall, Hagrid got out and had to lean against the wall to stop his knees from trembling. **

**Griphook unlocked the door. A lot of green smoke came billowing out, and as it cleared, Harry gasped. Inside were mounds of gold coins. Columns of silver. Heaps of little bronze Knuts. **

"Ah, the trust vault," James smiled. "Have you been into the family vault yet?"

Harry looked at him incredulously, "I have another vault."

"Yeah," James said. "It's got all kinds of stuff in there, you should check that out."

"That won't be easy," Harry mused out loud then stopped when he noticed everyone curious looks. Damn, he shouldn't have said that.

"I don't have much free time right now," he tried. Well it was true, everyone in the wizarding world seems to think they had a claim on Harry and he barely had anytime to think. Or at least he wouldn't if he hadn't been hiding in the Burrows with the rest of the Weasleys (and Hermione too, of course).

"Well you should check it out as soon as possible," James said, not quite believing his son's excuse, but having nothing else to say.

"Okay," Harry said, now thinking that he has to make the goblins forgive him for breaking into their bank, and most detrimental hurt their pride. Maybe if he gave them the sword…

"**All yours," smiled Hagrid. **

**All Harry's — it was incredible. The Dursleys couldn't have known about this or they'd have had it from him faster than blinking. How often had they complained how much Harry cost them to keep? And all the time there had been a small fortune belonging to him, buried deep under London. Hagrid helped Harry pile some of it into a bag. **

"**The gold ones are Galleons," he explained. "Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, it's easy enough. **

"So there's 493 Knuts in a Galleon? Am I the only one who thinks that's wrong?" Lily asked.

**Right, that should be enough fer a couple o' terms, we'll keep the rest safe for yeh." He turned to Griphook. "Vault seven hundred and thirteen now, please, and can we go more slowly?"**

"Slowly… I wish it could go faster," James said.

"**One speed only," said Griphook. **

**They were going even deeper now and gathering speed. The air became colder and colder as they hurtled round tight corners. They went rattling over an underground ravine, and Harry leaned over the side to try to see what was down at the dark bottom, but Hagrid groaned and pulled him back by the scruff of his neck.**

"You don't have any fear at all do you?" Frank said.

"Not for something like that," Harry smiled.

**Vault seven hundred and thirteen had no keyhole. **

"**Stand back," said Griphook importantly. He stroked the door gently with one of his long fingers and it simply melted away. **

"Cool," James said.

"That must be one of the top security vaults," Remus said.

"**If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that, they'd be sucked through the door and trapped in there," said Griphook. **

"**How often do you check to see if anyone's inside?" Harry asked. **

"**About once every ten years," said Griphook with a rather nasty grin. **

"That's sick." Ginny looked disgusted.

**Something really extraordinary had to be inside this top security vault, Harry was sure, and he leaned forward eagerly, expecting to see fabulous jewels at the very least **

"But jewels are so common," Ron said. "It has to be more valuable then that."

— **but at first he thought it was empty. Then he noticed a grubby little package wrapped up in brown paper lying on the floor. **

"I don't have a good feeling about this," Lily said.

"Neither do I," Remus said and it was clear they were thinking the same thing.

"What? What is it?" Sirius said, not liking being in the dark about anything, and was more annoyed that more people seemed to know the secret.

"You reckon it has something to do with the title of the book?" Frank said.

"That's exactly what I was thinking," Remus said.

"Um…" Sirius said. "What's the title of the book?"

Lily rolled her eyes but proceeded to answer him anyways, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone."

"Oh," Sirius said then his eyes got round. "OH!"

"So does it?" Lily asked.

"Hmph," Harry huffed, how could they figure it out so fast, it had taken them months to find it out.

"I'll take that as a yes," Lily said triumphantly.

"That's not fair, it took ages to find that out," Harry whined.

"They did have help, Harry," Neville laughed at his friend brooding behavior. "It is the title of the book, not to mention they're almost seven years older…"

"I guess," Harry huffed; he really should just let this go.

**Hagrid picked it up and tucked it deep inside his coat. Harry longed to know what it was, but knew better than to ask. **

"**Come on, back in this infernal cart, and don't talk to me on the way back, it's best if I keep me mouth shut," said Hagrid. **

"Oh, Hargrid."

**One wild cart ride later they stood blinking in the sunlight outside Gringotts. Harry didn't know where to run first now that he had a bag full of money. He didn't have to know how many Galleons there were to a pound to know that he was holding more money than he'd had in his whole life — more money than even Dudley had ever had. **

"That must have felt good," Frank smiled.

"It most certainly did," Harry laughed.

"**Might as well get yer uniform," said Hagrid, nodding toward Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. "Listen, Harry, would yeh mind if I slipped off fer a pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron? I hate them Gringotts carts." He did still look a bit sick, so Harry entered Madam Malkin's shop alone, feeling nervous. **

**Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve. **

"**Hogwarts, dear?" she said, when Harry started to speak. "Got the lot here — another young man being fitted up just now, in fact."**

"Oh good, maybe you can make a friend," Lily said, Harry just laughed at this.

**In the back of the shop, a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. Madam Malkin stood Harry on a stool next to him slipped a long robe over his head, and began to pin it to the right length. **

"**Hello," said the boy, "Hogwarts, too?" **

"**Yes," said Harry. **

"**My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands," said the boy. **

"What's the point of her looking at wands… you have to handle a wand yourself to know which one is best for you?" Ron said.

**He had a bored, drawling voice. "Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow." **

"Never mind Harry, I don't think I want you to be friends with this boy," Lily said.

"He sounds like a Malfoy to me," James said, the Potters and Malfoys don't get along.

"Oh, you don't know that James," Frank said. "Though I would said he was likely a Slytherin."

"I bet you a Galleon he is a Malfoy," James said.

"You're on," Frank said.

**Harry was strongly reminded of Dudley. **

"Now that is a great insult," Ron smirked.

"**Have you got your own broom?" the boy went on. **

"**No," said Harry. **

"**Play Quidditch at all?" **

"**No," Harry said again, wondering what on earth Quidditch could be.**

"It's only the best sport in the world Harry!" James exclaimed excitedly.

"I know what Quidditch is now, dad," Harry said exasperated.

"And you agree it's the best sport in the world!" James nearly shouted in his enthusiasm.

"It all right," Harry said shrugging his shoulder. Harry knew he shouldn't mess with his dad like this, but he'd understand. James was a marauder after all, so he understands pranks.

"No, it's the best," James said crestfallen that his son doesn't share his passion of Quidditch. "So you don't play."

"I play," Harry said with a shrug. It was hard keeping up this facade and still give truthful answers, not to mention Neville's incredulous look was making him want to laugh.

"**I do — Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet?" **

"**No," said Harry, feeling more stupid by the minute. **

"You're not stupid Harry, you're just not informed," Lily said. "Besides, no one knows what house they'll be in."

"Some of us have a pretty big clue though," James said.

"That's true," Lily said. "I knew where I wanted to be…"

"You didn't even think about Ravenclaw?" Remus asked.

"Nope… I thought I belonged in Gryffindor," Lily said. "That's the only house I wanted to be in."

"Same here," almost everyone else said.

"**Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family have been — imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" **

"There's nothing wrong with Hufflepuff!" both Frank and Neville said.

"That's right, it's a very nice house," Alice said having been it herself.

Neville had turned red at his shout, and Harry thought that he wasn't just defending his mother's house.

"Got a girl in Hufflepuff, son," Frank teased his son.

"What?" Neville looked terrified. "No… I just…" he was now beat red.

"Who is it Nev?" Harry asked with a grin.

"Harry!" Neville exclaimed, he was he looking for help out of this situation.

"Come on, is it Susan," Harry asked. "You did mention her early…"

"It's not Susan and I wont say anything more, so just leave it," Neville said red in the face but looking like he meant it this time.

"Alright then," Harry said starting to feel bad about his teasing. "Sorry, mate."

"It's cool," Neville said and no one else bother to continue questioning him, though his mum looked like she wanted to.

"**Mmm," said Harry, wishing he could say something a bit more interesting. **

"**I say, look at that man!" said the boy suddenly, nodding toward the front window. Hagrid was standing there, grinning at Harry and pointing at two large ice creams to show he couldn't come in. **

"Yum."

"**That's Hagrid," said Harry, pleased to know something the boy didn't. "He works at Hogwarts." **

"**Oh," said the boy, "I've heard of him. He's a sort of servant, isn't he?"**

"He's not a servant," James said. "I really don't like this kid."

"**He's the gamekeeper," said Harry. He was liking the boy less and less every second. **

"Atta boy."

"**Yes, exactly. I heard he's a sort of savage — lives in a hut on the school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic, and ends up setting fire to his bed." **

"**I think he's brilliant," said Harry coldly. **

"**Do you?" said the boy, with a slight sneer. "Why is he with you? Where are your parents?" **

"**They're dead," said Harry shortly. He didn't feel much like going into the matter with this boy. **

"**Oh, sorry," said the other, not sounding sorry at all. **

"Jerk."

"**But they were our kind, weren't they?" **

"And what's that suppose to mean," Lily said harshly.

"I think we all know what it's suppose to mean," Harry said.

"**They were a witch and wizard, if that's what you mean." **

"**I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families. What's your surname, anyway?" **

"Stupid git," Sirius said.

"Sirius," Lily warned.

"Sorry, but he thinks that he's better then them just because he happens to be born to a wizarding family, that's just stupid. I mean look at you, you were the best in our year and you don't have a ounce of magic blood in you." All Lily could do was blush at that.

**But before Harry could answer, Madam Malkin said, "That's you done, my dear," and Harry, not sorry for an excuse to stop talking to the boy, hopped down from the footstool. **

"**Well, I'll see you at Hogwarts, I suppose," said the drawling boy. **

**Harry was rather quiet as he ate the ice cream Hagrid had bought him (chocolate and raspberry with chopped nuts). **

"Yum."

"**What's up?" said Hagrid. **

"**Nothing," Harry lied. **

"Oh, don't let that git get you down Harry," Sirius said.

**They stopped to buy parchment and quills. Harry cheered up a bit when he found a bottle of ink that changed color as you wrote. When they had left the shop, he said, **

**"Hagrid, what's Quidditch?" **

James started bounced up and down in excitement at this, but didn't say anything.

"**Blimey, Harry, I keep forgettin' how little yeh know — not knowin' about Quidditch!" **

"Yeah!" James cheered.

"**Don't make me feel worse," said Harry. He told Hagrid about the pale boy in Madam Malkin's. **

"— **and he said people from Muggle families shouldn't even be allowed in —" **

"**Yer not from a Muggle family. If he'd known who yeh were — he's grown up knowin' yer name if his parents are wizardin' folk. You saw what everyone in the Leaky Cauldron was like when they saw yeh. Anyway, what does he know about it, some o' the best I ever saw were the only ones with magic in 'em in a long line o' Muggles — look at yer mum! Look what she had fer a sister!" **

"He has a good point there," Frank said.

"**So what is Quidditch?" **

"**It's our sport. Wizard sport. It's like — like soccer in the Muggle world — **

"It's not like soccer," Hermione scoffed.

"Yeah, except for the keeper part there's nothing similar," Lily said, they had often watched games as a family when she was young.

**everyone follows Quidditch — **

"Oh, I suppose he has a point there," Hermione had to admit.

**played up in the air on broomsticks and there's four balls — sorta hard ter explain the rules." **

"No it's not, it really easy… you see…" James started to explain.

"Jamie, now's not the time for that," Sirius said.

"Fine, Siri," James huffed.

"**And what are Slytherin and Hufflepuff?" **

"**School houses. There's four. Everyone says Hufflepuff are a lot o' duffers, but —" **

"We are not duffers," Alice said.

"**I bet I'm in Hufflepuff," said Harry gloomily. **

"There is nothing wrong with that," Lily said. "I prefer you go there than Slytherin anyways."

"**Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin," said Hagrid darkly. "There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin. You-Know-Who was one."**

"That's not true," Remus said. "There are plenty of witches or wizard that had gone bad from all of the other house."

Harry immediantly thought of Peter Pettigrew.

"Yeah," Sirius said. "But the most come from Slytherin."

"I'm not even sure if that is true," Remus said. "Its wrong to judge the whole house like that."

"Yeah, well, I'm still glad I wasn't placed there," Sirius said darkly.

"Yeah, me too," Remus agreed.

"**Vol-, sorry —You-Know-Who was at Hogwarts?" **

"**Years an' years ago," said Hagrid. **

**They bought Harry's school books in a shop called Flourish and Blotts **

"My favorite shop," Hermione said smiling.

"Really?" Ron and Harry said and started laughing.

**where the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in covers of silk; books full of peculiar symbols and a few books with nothing in them at all. Even Dudley, who never read anything, would have been wild to get his hands on some of these. Hagrid almost had to drag Harry away from Curses and Countercurses (Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying and Much, Much More) by Professor Vindictus Viridian. **

"**I was trying to find out how to curse Dudley." **

The Marauders roared with laughter.

"**I'm not sayin' that's not a good idea, but yer not ter use magic in the Muggle world except in very special circumstances," said Hagrid. "An' anyway, yeh couldn' work any of them curses yet, yeh'll need a lot more study before yeh get ter that level." **

"I bet Mione could have done it," Ron said.

"I'm sure I could have," Mione said a little smugly.

"I agree, seeing as you cursed me with one of those in your first year," Neville said softly, so no one could hear.

"Sorry."

"It's fine."

**Hagrid wouldn't let Harry buy a solid gold cauldron, either ("It says pewter on yer list"), but they got a nice set of scales for weighing potion ingredients and a collapsible brass telescope. Then they visited the Apothecary, which was fascinating enough to make up for its horrible smell, a mixture of bad eggs and rotted cabbages. **

"Looks like you got my love for potions!" Lily said happily.

James grimaced, but Lily was beaming. No one noticed that everyone from the future had to fight to hide their laughter from the rest.

**Barrels of slimy stuff stood on the floor; jars of herbs, dried roots, and bright powders lined the walls; bundles of feathers, strings of fangs, and snarled claws hung from the ceiling. While Hagrid asked the man behind the counter for a supply of some basic potion ingredients for Harry, Harry himself examined silver unicorn horns at twenty-one Galleons each**

"Prices have gone up. It's only 16 galleons now!"

**and minuscule, glittery-black beetle eyes (five Knuts a scoop). **

**Outside the Apothecary, Hagrid checked Harry's list again. **

"**Just yer wand left — A yeah, an' I still haven't got yeh a birthday present." **

**Harry felt himself go red. **

"My first present," Harry said as red as he was in the book.

"**You don't have to —" **

"**I know I don't have to. Tell yeh what, I'll get yer animal. Not a toad, toads went outta fashion years ago, yeh'd be laughed at**

"There nothing wrong with toads," Neville said in defense of his toad Trevor.

"No I suppose not," Harry smiled at his friend.

— **an' I don' like cats, they make me sneeze. I'll get yer an owl. All the kids want owls, they're dead useful, carry yer mail an' everythin'." **

**Twenty minutes later, they left Eeylops Owl Emporium, which had been dark and full of rustling and flickering, jewel-bright eyes. Harry now carried a large cage that held a beautiful snowy owl, fast asleep with her head under her wing.**

"I have a snowy owl too," Lily said. "She is the best."

"Hedwig is a good owl," Harry said trying to keep the sadness out of his voice, he really missed his poor owl.

**He couldn't stop stammering his thanks, sounding just like Professor Quirrell. **

"Please don't compare yourself to that sorry excuse for a professor." Sirius told him forcefully.

"**Don' mention it," said Hagrid gruffly. "Don' expect you've had a lotta presents from them Dursleys. Just Ollivanders left now — only place fer wands, Ollivanders, and yeh gotta have the best wand." **

**A magic wand… this was what Harry had been really looking forward to. **

"I think every one does," Frank said.

"I know I couldn't wait," Lily said. "It's what made everything seem real."

**The last shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window. **

Everyone smiled in remembrance…

James had been nine when he had gotten his wand, and he still remembered it almost nine years later.

Frank bought a wand when he was 9 ½ years old, after months of begging.

Sirius had gotten his wand at age ten, a mere two months before he received his letter.

Remus had been ten when he got his wand. His parents hadn't expected him to go to Hogwarts, because of his lycanthropy, so they had planned on homeschooling him.

Alice had gotten her wand the day she got her letter, because that was the earliest her parents would let her.

Lily had gone with her family and Severus to get her wand, a week after she received her letter.

**A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair that Hagrid sat on to wait. Harry felt strangely as though he had entered a very strict library; he swallowed a lot of new questions that had just occurred to him and looked instead at the thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling. For some reason, the back of his neck prickled. **

"Maybe he can sense the magic there," Ron said thoughtfully.

"Sense the magic... from wands?" Hermione said raising her eyebrow.

"I know, that's not really heard of is it," Ron chuckled. "But I've seen on more then one occasion that Harry seemed to have sense something the rest of us don't."

**The very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle with some secret magic. **

"**Good afternoon," said a soft voice. Harry jumped. Hagrid must have jumped, too, because there was a loud crunching noise and he got quickly off the spindly chair. **

**An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop. **

"Your descriptions all need some work. None of them are very flattering." Ginny told him.

"Let's save that word 'none' until after Cho Chang gets hers," laughed Ron.

Ginny sulked for a while after that.

"**Hello," said Harry awkwardly. **

"**Ah yes," said the man. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Harry Potter." It wasn't a question. "You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work." **

"I don't know how he does that," James said. "I asked him if he knew what my great-grandfathers on my mum side was and he was able to tell me in as second."

"Wow, how does he remember that?" Lily said.

"It's his life," Harry said. "Were you good in charms."

"It was my best subject, well, that and potions," Lily smiled.

"There's no one better in charms then Lily," James said causing the witch to turn red.

"I don't know about that," Ron said thinking about his girlfriend, who immediately turned as red as Lily.

**Mr. Ollivander moved closer to Harry. Harry wished he would blink. Those silvery eyes were a bit creepy. **

The Marauders all shivered theatrically and nodded in agreement.

"**Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration.**

James beamed.

**Well, I say your father favored it — it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."**

"Wandlore really is a fascinating subject," Remus said. "The subtle things that go into making a good wand... how it reacts different with each person..."

"Do you have any of those books?" Hermione asked looking excited.

"Yeah, I'll give you some before you go," Remus laughed.

**Mr. Ollivander had come so close that he and Harry were almost nose to nose. Harry could see himself reflected in those misty eyes. **

"**And that's where…" **

**Mr. Ollivander touched the lightning scar on Harry's forehead with a long, white finger. **

"**I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it," he said softly. "Thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands… well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do…" **

"Seriously, how does he remember that?"

**He shook his head and then, to Harry's relief, spotted Hagrid. **

"**Rubeus! Rubeus Hagrid! How nice to see you again… Oak, sixteen inches, rather bendy, wasn't it?" **

"**It was, sir, yes," said Hagrid. **

"**Good wand, that one. But I suppose they snapped it in half when you got expelled?" said Mr. Ollivander, suddenly stern. **

"**Er — yes, they did, yes," said Hagrid, shuffling his feet. "I've still got the pieces, though," he added brightly. **

"Hidden in my umbrella!" James said mimicking the voice he was using to read.

"**But you don't use them?" said Mr. Ollivander sharply. **

"**Oh, no, sir," said Hagrid quickly. Harry noticed he gripped his pink umbrella very tightly as he spoke. **

"Oh yeah right," Remus said smiling.

"We've seen him use it twice in this book already," Sirius said.

"**Hmmm," said Mr. Ollivander, giving Hagrid a piercing look. "Well, now — Mr. Potter. Let me see." He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?" **

"**Er — well, I'm right-handed," said Harry. **

"**Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured Harry from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head. **

"It just measures for show," Sirius grumbled, remembering how it had wrapped around his legs and tripped him.

**As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr. Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand." **

"He gives that speech every time someone comes in to buy a wand." Sirius said.

"And if you get another wand he gives it again." Ron told him, remembering second year.

**Harry suddenly realized that the tape measure, which was measuring between his nostrils, was doing this on its own. **

"You're really unobservant, son."

**Mr. Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes. **

"**That will do," he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. "Right then, Mr. Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. just take it and give it a wave." **

"That's not it," Ron said, everyone knew what Harry's wand was made of.

**Harry took the wand and (feeling foolish) waved it around a bit, but Mr. Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once. **

"I hated when he did that," Hermione said, it had taken him quite a few times before he got his wand.

"**Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try —" **

"Closer but still not right," Ron said.

**Harry tried — but he had hardly raised the wand when it, too, was snatched back by Mr. Ollivander. **

"**No, no — here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out."**

"How many wands did you try out?" James asked amused.

"A fair few," Harry smiled.

**Harry tried. And tried. He had no idea what Mr. Ollivander was waiting for. The pile of tried wands was mounting higher and higher on the spindly chair, but the more wands Mr. Ollivander pulled from the shelves, the happier he seemed to become. **

"And that's why Harry and I took so long to get our wands, we were making sure he had a good time," Hermione laughed.

"Yeah. He was basically bouncing off the walls by the time I found my wand," Sirius laughed.

"**Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere — I wonder, now — yes, why not — unusual combination — holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple." **

"That's it," Ron smiled.

"Good, now we don't have to hear you make stupid comments about it anymore," Luna said.

**Harry took the wand. He felt a sudden warmth in his fingers. **

"That would most definitely be it then," Lily said. "I remembered mine did that too."

**He raised the wand above his head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls. **

"Quite a good reaction too," Remus said smiling. "But I wouldn't have expected anything less from Harry."

**Hagrid whooped and clapped and Mr. Ollivander cried, "Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well… how curious… how very curious…" **

**He put Harry's wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper, still muttering, "Curious… curious…" **

"What's curious?"

"Just let me read Pads."

"**Sorry," said Harry, "but what's curious?" **

**Mr. Ollivander fixed Harry with his pale stare. **

"**I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather — just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother — why, its brother gave you that scar."**

Everyone gasped at that.

"Blimey Harry, I didn't know that," Neville said.

"I didn't really want that to get around," Harry said.

"It was common knowledge amongst Death Eaters, though," said Ron, remembering how Voldemort kept using a different wand.

**Harry swallowed. **

"**Yes, thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember… I think we must expect great things from you, Mr. Potter…**

"Naturally, he is a Potter after all," James said proudly.

**After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things — terrible, yes, but great." **

"That's kind of a weird thing to say," Frank said. "It almost sounds like he admires Voldemort or something."

"I think he just admires the magic," Harry said. "But yeah, he is kind of weird."

**Harry shivered. He wasn't sure he liked Mr. Ollivander too much. **

"I know how you feel," said many people, but Luna jumped to his defense.

"Ollivander is a wonderful man!" she told them earnestly, remembering those months she spent with him being held captive by Voldemort. Everyone was surprised to see Harry nodding in agreement, mostly to appease Luna, but partly because he felt rather sorry for him as well.

**He paid seven gold Galleons for his wand, and Mr. Ollivander bowed them from his shop. **

**The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky as Harry and Hagrid made their way back down Diagon Alley, back through the wall, back through the Leaky Cauldron, now empty. Harry didn't speak at all as they walked down the road; he didn't even notice how much people were gawking at them on the Underground, laden as they were with all their funny-shaped packages, with the snowy owl asleep in its cage on Harry's lap. **

Lily and Hermione started laughing at the mental image.

**Up another escalator, out into Paddington station; Harry only realized where they were when Hagrid tapped him on the shoulder. **

"**Got time fer a bite to eat before yer train leaves," he said. **

**He bought Harry a hamburger and they sat down on plastic seats to eat them. Harry kept looking around. Everything looked so strange, somehow. **

"Diagon Alley will do that to you," said James.

"Yeah," agreed Lily. "I remember feeling the same way.

"**You all right, Harry? Yer very quiet," said Hagrid. **

**Harry wasn't sure he could explain. He'd just had the best birthday of his life — and yet — he chewed his hamburger, trying to find the words.**

"**Everyone thinks I'm special," he said at last. **

"That's because you are special," James said rolling his eyes.

"**All those people in the Leaky Cauldron, Professor Quirrell, Mr. Ollivander… but I don't know anything about magic at all. How can they expect great things? I'm famous and I can't even remember what I'm famous for. I don't know what happened when Vol-, sorry — I mean, the night my parents died." **

"Don't worry Harry, you'll be fine," James said.

"Thanks dad," Harry said sarcastically.

**Hagrid leaned across the table. Behind the wild beard and eyebrows he wore a very kind smile. **

"Have I ever mentioned that I love Hagrid?" Lily asked.

"Yes." Alice replied.

"Well I do."

"**Don' you worry, Harry. You'll learn fast enough. Everyone starts at the beginning at Hogwarts, you'll be just fine. Just be yerself. I know it's hard. Yeh've been singled out, an' that's always hard. But yeh'll have a great time at Hogwarts — I did — still do, 'smatter of fact."**

"He's right, Hogwarts is the best," James said.

"Yeah it is," Harry laughed.

**Hagrid helped Harry on to the train that would take him back to the Dursleys, then handed him an envelope. **

"**Yer ticket fer Hogwarts, " he said. "First o' September — King's Cross — it's all on yer ticket. Any problems with the Dursleys, send me a letter with yer owl, she'll know where to find me…. See yeh soon, Harry." **

**The train pulled out of the station. Harry wanted to watch Hagrid until he was out of sight; he rose in his seat and pressed his nose against the window, but he blinked and Hagrid had gone.**

"That's it," James said.

"Yay, now it's my turn," Hermione said taking the book, knowing this was where she and Ron would be introduced for the first time.

* * *

><p><strong>Harry Potter: This is such a great story.<strong>

**Ron Weasley: I know right?**

**Hermione Granger: I have a great idea about how people could let us know that.**

**Harry and Ron: How?**

**Hermione: They could leave a review.**

**Ron: Brilliant idea!**


	7. The Journey From Platform 9 and 34

A/N: Here we go. Harry's finally going to Hogwarts! Woohoo! Sorry about the delay, though. Meanwhile: As usual, a huge thank-you to

**PureAwesomeness13**

**MaddeTheLover**

**Sakuar**

**unknown**

for reviewing my story. I literally wake-up hoping to open my email and find a review waiting for me. Love you guys!

**Disclaimer: If I look into the mirror of Erised, I see myself owning Harry Potter. Alas, though, I do not...  
><strong>

* * *

><p>"<strong>The Journey From Platform Nine and Three-Quarters,"<strong> Hermione read.

"Yes! You finally get to go to Hogwarts!" shouted James.

"And escape the Dursleys!" added Remus.

"And meet cool people!" finished Sirius.

"Very cool people," Hermione agreed.

"Let's just get on with it," Lily said.

**Harry's last month with the Dursleys wasn't fun. True, Dudley was now so scared of Harry he wouldn't stay in the same room, while Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon didn't shut Harry in his cupboard, force him to do anything, or shout at him — in fact, they didn't speak to him at all. **

"That sounds terrible," said Sirius. He could not even imagine going that long alone.

James just laughed. "Because we all know you couldn't go without your attention-fill for a day, let alone a month."

"Your one to talk, James," Lily retorted. James sulked.

**Half terrified, half furious, they acted as though any chair with Harry in it were empty. **

"That's actually an improvement," James remarked.

"It gets a little lonely though," Lily said sadly. "Petunia always did that to me, and it's a bit depressing. One time -"

The sound of crying cut off Lily. It was coming from the crib where Teddy was sitting. Harry instinctively made to get up, but Remus got there first. Remus scooped up the baby and went to sit back down. Lily and Alice immediately went to go sit next to him, cooing over the little baby. Harry smiled to himself. It was a very touching site.

**Although this was an improvement in many ways, it did become a bit depressing after a while. **

"I see your point."

**Harry kept to his room, with his new owl for company. He had decided to call her Hedwig, a name he had found in A History of Magic. His school books were very interesting. **

"You actually read them before going to school!" James shouted indignantly. "How on earth are you my son?"

"He's Lily's son, too, remember?" Remus pointed out, and James had no choice but to concede to that point.

**He lay on his bed reading late into the night, **

"And we're sure this isn't Mione?" Ron teased laughing this time.

"It's a brand new world to him you git, of course he's reading about it," Hermione hissed in his ear.

**Hedwig swooping in and out of the open window as she pleased. It was lucky that Aunt Petunia didn't come in to vacuum anymore, because Hedwig kept bringing back dead mice. Every night before he went to sleep, Harry ticked off another day on the piece of paper he had pinned to the wall, counting down to September the first. **

"I don't blame you. If Petunia was running our house when I was younger, I would've been counting the days until I could escape, too," Lily all but growled.

**On the last day of August he thought he'd better speak to his aunt and uncle about getting to King's Cross station the next day, so he went down to the living room where they were watching a quiz show on television. He cleared his throat to let them know he was there, and Dudley screamed and ran from the room. **

"What a wuss," James snorted.

"**Er — Uncle Vernon?" **

**Uncle Vernon grunted to show he was listening. **

"**Er — I need to be at King's Cross tomorrow to — to go to Hogwarts." **

**Uncle Vernon grunted again. **

"What is he? A pig?"

"No, but his son is!" Sirius replied laughing in remembrance of Dudley's pigtail.

"**Would it be all right if you gave me a lift?" **

**Grunt. Harry supposed that meant yes. **

"You know, assuming things can get you in a whole lot of trouble," Lil advised her son. "You really should wait until he says yes or no. Besides, knowing him, he wouldn't be very happy to give you a ride.

"**Thank you." **

**He was about to go back upstairs when Uncle Vernon actually spoke. **

"**Funny way to get to a wizards' school, the train. Magic carpets all got punctures, have they?" **

"No, stupid. It would take hundreds of magic carpets to fly to Hogwarts, but only one train."

"Besides, magic carpets are illegal."

"Right. That too."

**Harry didn't say anything. **

"**Where is this school, anyway?" **

"**I don't know," said Harry, realizing this for the first time. He pulled the ticket Hagrid had given him out of his pocket. **

"Scotland," Lily answered immediately, reminding him strongly of another bright Gryffindor."

"I know that now, Mom," Harry replied. Lily just blushed and busied herself trying to take Teddy from Remus, who didn't want to let go. Harry had to intervene and explain to his mother that Teddy was Remus's son, so Remus gets to hold him.

"**I just take the train from platform nine and three-quarters at eleven o'clock," he read. **

"And the Muggles are going to be baffled by that one," Hermione smiled. "At least my parents were."

**His aunt and uncle stared. **

"**Platform what?" **

"**Nine and three-quarters." **

"**Don't talk rubbish," said Uncle Vernon. "There is no platform nine and three-quarters." **

"Petunia knows about the platform. Does she help?"

"Do _you_ think she seems like she's about to help?" Harry said coldly.

"No, not really," Lily said sadly.

"**It's on my ticket." **

"**Barking," said Uncle Vernon, "howling mad, the lot of them. You'll see. You just wait. All right, we'll take you to King's Cross. We're going up to London tomorrow anyway, or I wouldn't bother." **

"I bet you must feel so loved."

"**Why are you going to London?" Harry asked, trying to keep things friendly. **

"**Taking Dudley to the hospital," growled Uncle Vernon. "Got to have that ruddy tail removed before he goes to Smeltings." **

"No, he should go there with the tail, that way they can call him piggy- it's always good to have a nickname," Sirius laughed.

**Harry woke at five o'clock the next morning and was too excited and nervous to go back to sleep. **

"He really does sound like Mione…" Ginny teased.

"Are you kidding me? I never got to sleep," Hermione said. Sirius just looked at her.

"I did the same thing on my first day." Lily sighed dreamily.

"Really?" James asked, "I slept like a baby."

"You would."

James just grinned.

"Well, I wasn't so lucky." Sirius sighed dramatically. "I was up 'till bloody three o'clock in the morning getting screamed at by my bloody mother. 'Slytherin or die!'"

"I really want to meet your Mother someday." Lily said. "She sounds rather charming."

"Oh, she's not, trust me." James said.

"Remember that one time we went to pick up Sirius at his house?" Remus asked James, smiling slightly.

"Oh, not this again!" Sirius whined.

"Yeah!" James said, ignoring Sirius, "That bloody woman went mad!"

"Let's just drop this!" Sirius said, and then gestured frantically at Hermione, who tried to start reading again,

**He got up and pulled on his jeans **

"And then threatened us within an inch of our lives!" Remus continued, speaking over Hermione.

**because he didn't want to walk into the station in his wizard's robes," **Hermione started getting louder and louder.

"It was worse then Lily's threats!" James had to scream over Hermione's voice now.

— **he'd change on the train." **Sirius continued, screaming as loud as he could now.

"Hey!" Lily yelled, "I'm not _that _bad!"

**He checked his Hogwarts list yet again" **Sirius tried to drown out there screaming with his own, but there were three of them.

"Who are you kidding, Lily?" Remus asked, "You are down right scary when you get mad."

**to make sure he had everything he needed,**

"It's your own fault if you annoy me enough to get that reaction out of me." Lily screamed, "I'm normally a very gentle person."

At this Sirius stopped gesturing at Hermione to read and instead laughed. Hermione stopped reading.

"Are you serious, Lily?" He laughed, "You? Gentle?"

James and Remus joined in, all of them clutching their stomachs.

"Hey!" Lily scowled, "I can be gentle if I want to be!"

"Sure you can, love," James soothed, patting her back, still laughing.

"I hate the lot of you," Lily growled.

"No you don't," Sirius said, "You bloody love us."

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"No!

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!

"BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP!" Hermione shrieked.

**He got up and pulled on his jeans because he didn't want to walk into the station in his wizard's robes — **

"Good choice Harry, you don't want to draw attention to yourself," James said knowingly. Sirius and Remus just laughed loudly at that.

**he'd change on the train. He checked his Hogwarts list yet again to make sure he had everything he needed, saw that Hedwig was shut safely in her cage, and then paced the room, waiting for the Dursleys to get up. **

"But still, not as bad as Mione," Ron said.

"What was that?" asked James.

"It's nothing, Mr. Potter," Ron said.

"Don't call me that," James stated with a shiver. "It's James or Prongs."

"Okay," everybody chorused.

**Two hours later, Harry's huge, heavy trunk had been loaded into the Dursleys' car, Aunt Petunia had talked Dudley into sitting next to Harry, **

"Wuss."

**and they had set off. **

**They reached King's Cross at half past ten. Uncle Vernon dumped Harry's trunk onto a cart and wheeled it into the station for him. **

"That seems…nice?" Remus said hesitantly (although it came out as more of a question) narrowing his eyes.

**Harry thought this was strangely kind until Uncle Vernon stopped dead, facing the platforms with a nasty grin on his face. **

"**Well, there you are, boy. Platform nine — platform ten. Your platform should be somewhere in the middle, but they don't seem to have built it yet, do they?" **

"Hmph, laughing at him for that," Lily glared.

"But we know Harry's going to be fine," Remus comforted.

"I know, but they're just going to leave him there, laughing at him, and Harry not going to know what to do. How many people say 'Oh, I'm just going to run at this wall and see if it takes me to a magical train that's supposedly going to whisk me off to some magical school?'" Lily growled.

No one really had an answer to that.

**He was quite right, of course. There was a big plastic number nine over one platform and a big plastic number ten over the one next to it, and in the middle, nothing at all. **

"**Have a good term," said Uncle Vernon with an even nastier smile. He left without another word. Harry turned and saw the Dursleys drive away. All three of them were laughing. **

"That horrible, Petunia how could you do that?" Lily sounded close to tears.

"She's a horrible person," James answered like he was stating the obvious.

"Don't say that about my sister!"

"I was agreeing with you!"

"Well, don't!"

**Harry's mouth went rather dry. What on earth was he going to do? He was starting to attract a lot of funny looks, because of Hedwig. He'd have to ask someone. He stopped a passing guard, but didn't dare mention platform nine and three-quarters. **

"Good thinking, he wouldn't have appreciated that," Frank laughed.

**The guard had never heard of Hogwarts and when Harry couldn't even tell him what part of the country it was in, he started to get annoyed, as though Harry was being stupid on purpose. Getting desperate, Harry asked for the train that left at eleven o'clock, but the guard said there wasn't one. **

"Well even if there was one he wouldn't have wanted to take it. Who knows what would have happened then," Remus said. "Muggles don't know anything about the Hogwarts Express. You could have ended up anywhere."

"Look, I panicked alright!"

**In the end the guard strode away, muttering about time wasters. Harry was now trying hard not to panic. According to the large clock over the arrivals board, he had ten minutes left to get on the train to Hogwarts and he had no idea how to do it; he was stranded in the middle of a station with a trunk he could hardly lift, a pocket full of wizard money, and a large owl. **

"My poor baby; how does he get through the platform?" Lily cried out.

**Hagrid must have forgotten to tell him something you had to do, like tapping the third brick on the left to get into Diagon Alley. He wondered if he should get out his wand and start tapping the ticket inspector's stand between platforms nine and ten.**

"Don't," Sirius said. Everyone stared at Sirius.

"What?"

"Nothing," Lily said. "That was just good advice."

"Always the tone of surprise."

**At that moment a group of people passed just behind him and he caught a few words of what they were saying. **

"— **packed with Muggles, of course —" **

"Oh, thank God," Lily said, she was starting to get concerned.

**Harry swung round. The speaker was a plump woman who was talking to four boys, all with flaming red hair. **

"Sounds like the Weasleys to me," Sirius said.

"It sounds like Molly if you ask me," Remus said looking at Harry.

**Each of them was pushing a trunk like Harry's in front of him — and they had an owl. **

**Heart hammering, Harry pushed his cart after them. They stopped and so did he, just near enough to hear what they were saying. **

"Always eavesdropping. Ah Harry," Ron smiled.

"**Now, what's the platform number?" said the boys' mother. **

"**Nine and three-quarters!" piped a small girl, also red-headed, who was holding her hand, "Mom, can't I go…"**

"A red-headed girl, you say?" Remus asked.

Sirius looked at the book, then back at Remus, "Yup. She's a carrot top."

"Carrot top?" Lily said, and then scowled under her breath.

"You know what that means, right?" Remus asked.

Sirius thought for a moment, then grinned, "Why, of course!"

"What?" Luna asked, not liking being kept in the dark.

"Harry's going to fall in love with her." Sirius stated.

"How do you know?" Lily asked skeptically.

"Because she's a red head," Remus said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Lily asked.

"You're a red head. James's Mom is a red head. James Grandmother is a red head," Sirius said.

"It's a tradition!" Remus piped in, "Potter men always marry red heads."

"So Potters only fall in love with redheads?" asked Ginny curiously.

"I bet you would have like to have known that early, ah Gin," Ron teased. "You wouldn't have had to worry so much about Harry ending up with you, seeing as there were only about three redheaded girls at school."

"Shut up!" Ginny said sticking her tongue out at her brother.

"…Wait. Is Ginny Ron's sister!" James asked, awed.

"…Yeah."

"As in your best mate's sister?" James laughed. "That's bold."

"Yeah, well," Harry blushed.

"Oh no, did a Wrackspurt get you Harry," Luna said.

"What?" Sirius said confused. "What's a Wrackspurt? "

"I've no idea," Remus said. Luna just kept muttering, "I knew there was a Wrackspurt in here. I knew it."

"**You're not old enough, Ginny, **

"HARRY AND GINNY FOREVER!" shouted Sirius and Remus happily. Said people just blushed.

**now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first." **

**What looked like the oldest boy marched toward platforms nine and ten. **

"Isn't Molly and Arthur's oldest name Bill, I don't think it's the Weasleys," Remus said.

"He probably already graduated by now," Lily said reasonably.

"Then that means they have at least six kids," James said.

"Seven," Ron told them.

**Harry watched, careful not to blink in case he missed it — but just as the boy reached the dividing barrier between the two platforms, a large crowd of tourists came swarming in front of him and by the time the last backpack had cleared away, the boy had vanished. **

"Yeah vanished," James smiled. "Straight through the wall."

"Shut up."

"**Fred, you next," the plump woman said. **

"**I'm not Fred, I'm George," said the boy. "Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?"**

"Twins," Sirius laughed. "I think I'm going to like them." Harry just smiled sadly at this, it hurt to hear about the twin's antics now, knowing that Fred was gone forever and George may never be the same with the lost of his twin.

"**Sorry, George, dear." **

"**Only joking, I am Fred," said the boy, and off he went. His twin called after him to hurry up, and he must have done so, because a second later, he had gone — but how had he done it? Now the third brother was walking briskly toward the barrier he was almost there — and then, quite suddenly, he wasn't anywhere. **

"It's magic," James said in an awed voice.

**There was nothing else for it. **

"**Excuse me," Harry said to the plump woman. **

"**Hello, dear," she said. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too."**

"That settles it, it has to be Molly," Remus said. "Only she is this motherly towards anybody she meets."

"Not to put a damper on you, Molly is the best, but they're plenty of people that that can be motherly," Sirius said. "Now if they said she had bake the best biscuits Harry ever tasted then yes, but…."

Everyone laughed at that.

"Either put your money were you mouth is, or shut up Padfoot," Remus said, he knew he was right at this.

"Fine, two Galleons," Sirius said.

"Fine."

**She pointed at the last and youngest of her sons. He was tall, thin, and gangling, with freckles, big hands and feet, and a long nose. **

"Good description," Neville snorted. Ron looked affronted.

"Wait till your own," Ron laughed.

"Damn, I didn't think of that."

"**Yes," said Harry. "The thing is — the thing is, I don't know how to —" **

"**How to get onto the platform?" she said kindly, and Harry nodded. **

"**Not to worry," she said. "All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, **

"Yeah that should help," Sirius scoffed.

**that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron." **

"Whoever it is, I'm going to have to thank her," Lily said glad that someone was being nice to her baby.

"**Er — okay," said Harry. **

**He pushed his trolley around and stared at the barrier. It looked very solid. **

**He started to walk toward it. People jostled him on their way to platforms nine and ten. Harry walked more quickly. He was going to smash right into that barrier and then he'd be in trouble — leaning forward on his cart, he broke into a heavy run — the barrier was coming nearer and nearer — he wouldn't be able to stop — the cart was out of control — he was a foot away — he closed his eyes ready for the crash — **

"Boom," Hermione said in her reading voice. "He crashes into the wall."

"What?" Ron said narrowing his eyes at her. "That doesn't happen."

"No, but it would have been funny," she laughed.

**It didn't come… he kept on running… he opened his eyes. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts' Express, eleven o'clock. Harry looked behind him and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it. **

**He had done it. **

Cheers went up while Harry blushed.

**Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every color wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks. **

**The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. Harry pushed his cart off down the platform in search of an empty seat. He passed a round-faced boy who was saying, "Gran, I've lost my toad again." **

"That's not so bad," Neville said.

"That's you?" Alice said hugging her son.

"You brought a toad," Sirius teased.

"Leave him alone," Alice said so sharply that it shocked everyone, she was usually an even-tempered girl. Sirius decided to never mess with a mother. Except possibly his own.

"Thanks," Neville blushed; he wasn't use to people standing up for him.

"**Oh, Neville," he heard the old woman sigh. **

**A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd. **

"**Give us a look, Lee, go on." **

**The boy lifted the lid of a box in his arms, and the people around him shrieked and yelled as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg. **

"What is it? What is it?" James asked excitedly.

**Harry pressed on through the crowd until he found an empty compartment near the end of the train. **

"He didn't find out?" James whined.

"Smart boy." Lily said approvingly.

**He put Hedwig inside first and then started to shove and heave his trunk toward the train door. He tried to lift it up the steps but could hardly raise one end and twice he dropped it painfully on his foot. **

"Poor Harry," Lily cooed.

"**Want a hand?" It was one of the red-haired twins he'd followed through the barrier. **

"That's nice," Neville said hesitantly.

"They can be nice, every once in a while," Harry shrugged.

"What are they normally?" Sirius grinned thinking he knew the answer.

"The next generation of marauders," Harry smiled.

"Knew it," James said and all the marauders grinned.

"**Yes, please," Harry panted. **

"**Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!" **

**With the twins' help, Harry's trunk was at last tucked away in a corner of the compartment. **

"**Thanks," said Harry, pushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes. **

"**What's that?" said one of the twins suddenly, pointing at Harry's lightning scar. **

"They seem to be just as rude as everyone else in this respect," Hermione said knowing how much Harry hated people pointing at his scar.

"**Blimey," said the other twin. "Are you —?" **

"**He is," said the first twin. "Aren't you?" he added to Harry. **

"**What?" said Harry. **

"**Harry Potter." chorused the twins. **

"**Oh, him," said Harry. **

"You didn't ever know who you are," Sirius snorted and the other boys snicker.

"Well, I wasn't used to being noticed. Besides at home I was mostly called 'boy,'" Harry said turning red. The snickering stopped immediately.

"Blimey, Harry, sorry about that," Sirius said.

"S'okay."

"**I mean, yes, I am." **

**The two boys gawked at him, and Harry felt himself turning red. Then, to his relief, a voice came floating in through the train's open door. **

"**Fred? George? Are you there?" **

"**Coming, Mom." **

**With a last look at Harry, the twins hopped off the train. **

**Harry sat down next to the window where, half hidden, he could watch the red-haired family on the platform and hear what they were saying. **

"And of course he's going to listen to them," Ron smiled.

"Told you it was Molly, the red-haired family has to be the Weasley," Remus said.

"He gets his sneaking issues from you." Lily said, staring up at James.

"I would hardly call them issues, Lily." James said, "It's more of a skill."

Lily frowned, "Sure, sure."

**Their mother had just taken out her handkerchief. **

"**Ron, you've got something on your nose." **

"She's not going to get it," Hermione teased.

**The youngest boy tried to jerk out of the way, but she grabbed him and began rubbing the end of his nose. **

All of the boys from the future and past except Ron broke out laughing at that.

"**Mom— geroff" He wriggled free. **

"**Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?" said one of the twins. **

"**Shut up," said Ron. **

"**Where's Percy?" said their mother. **

"**He's coming now." **

**The oldest boy came striding into sight. He had already changed into his billowing black Hogwarts robes, and Harry noticed a red and gold badge on his chest with the letter P on it. **

"Yuck, Prefect," Sirius said.

"What's wrong with that?" Lily, Alice, Frank and Remus said.

"Well, there's nothing wrong with it when it's you two, but I'm sensing this boy gets really into it."

"**Can't stay long, Mother," he said. "I'm up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves —" **

"**Oh, are you a prefect, Percy?" said one of the twins, with an air of great surprise. "You should have said something, we had no idea." **

"Good old Fred and George."

"**Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," said the other twin. "Once —" **

"**Or twice —" **

"**A minute —" **

"**All summer —" **

"Oh good on them," Sirius said. "I can tell we came from the same mold."

"Merlin, I feel sorry for you," Remus said.

"Hey," both James and Sirius said, because even though he hadn't said anything, James knew that he was like the twins too.

"**Oh, shut up," said Percy the Prefect. **

"**How come Percy gets new robes, anyway?" said one of the twins. **

"**Because he's a prefect," said their mother fondly. "All right, dear, well, have a good term — send me an owl when you get there." **

**She kissed Percy on the cheek and he left. Then she turned to the twins. **

"It looks like she gives the universal mother-to-prankster warning, too," James smiled. "It's not like it's going to help."

"**Now, you two — this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've — you've blown up a toilet or —"**

"Brilliant idea, Molly!" Sirius shouted.

James looked at him, faking the deep-in-thought look. "Prefect's bathroom, fifth floor."

"Perfect."

Remus looked exasperated. "We should've skipped that sentence."

Lily slapped James on the arm playfully. "You can't do that now, because you just told the Head Girl and a Prefect about your plans."

"Never stopped us before," Sirius muttered to James. The two shared another grin, and Remus continued.

"**Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet." **

"**Great idea though, thanks, Mom." **

"**It's not funny. And look after Ron." **

"**Don't worry, ickle Ronniekins is safe with us." **

"Am I the only one concerned about Ron's safety?" asked Lily. There was a chorus of "No, Lily," before Hermione started reading again.

"**Shut up," said Ron again. He was almost as tall as the twins already and his nose was still pink where his mother had rubbed it. **

"**Hey, Mom, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?" **

"The famous Harry Potter!" James shouted.

**Harry leaned back quickly so they couldn't see him looking. **

"**You know that black-haired boy who was near us in the station? Know who he is?" **

"**Who?" **

"**Harry Potter!" **

**Harry heard the little girl's voice. **

"**Oh, Mom, can I go on the train and see him, Mom, oh please…"**

Neville burst out laughing at this. "I can't believe she said that," he said turning red.

Harry just chuckled at that, he forgotten how bad Ginny's crush was, though at the time he didn't think much about it, he now found it kind of cute (he chanced a glance at Ginny to see her blushing fiercely.)

"She's already got a crush on little Harry!" Sirius fake crooned.

"It's love!" Remus agreed.

"See, told you, red-heads," James said turning to Alice. Lily just huffed at this.

"**You've already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn't something you goggle at in a zoo. Is he really, Fred? How do you know?" **

"**Asked him. Saw his scar. It's really there — like lightning." **

"**Poor dear — no wonder he was alone, I wondered. He was ever so polite when he asked how to get onto the platform." **

"And mum already loves Harry," Ron smiled.

"**Never mind that, do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?" **

**Their mother suddenly became very stern. **

"**I forbid you to ask him, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though he needs reminding of that on his first day at school." **

"I like her," Lily stated, she would like anyone that looked after her son.

"**All right, keep your hair on." **

The marauders all laughed.

**A whistle sounded. **

"**Hurry up!" their mother said, and the three boys clambered onto the train. They leaned out of the window for her to kiss them good-bye, and their younger sister began to cry. **

"She cried?" Neville said incredulously. Then he looked at Ginny. "You cried?"

"She's going to be all alone now," Hermione said logically, though she looked shocked too, Ginny really wasn't one for tears.

"**Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls." **

"**We'll send you a Hogwarts' toilet seat." **

"Good one," James said through his laughter.

"**George!" **

"**Only joking, Mom." **

"I bet they do send her one," Sirius said, he thought he had a handle on the twin and he felt comfortable saying that they likely would do this.

"Nah, though I'm sure they will blow one up," James said, also having a good handle on the twin, but having more experience with a red-head mother and knowing its not wise to cross one.

"Two Galleons she gets one," Sirius said.

"You're on mate."

"Hold on I wasn't finished," Sirius said. "You only win if they did blow up toilet seat."

"That's fair enough," James conceded.

"Boys, you bet on everything," Lily said.

"Says the girl that already bet twice," James tease and she just stuck her tongue out at him.

**The train began to move. Harry saw the boys' mother waving and their sister, half laughing, half crying, running to keep up with the train until it gathered too much speed, then she fell back and waved. **

Harry couldn't help but remember the scene and smile at the image it brought up, Ginny sure was a cute little girl.

"Aw. Gin was adorable," teased Ron.

**Harry watched the girl and her mother disappear as the train rounded the corner. Houses flashed past the window. Harry felt a great leap of excitement. He didn't know what he was going to — but it had to be better than what he was leaving behind. **

"**That's how I felt, too," announced Ron.**

**The door of the compartment slid open and the youngest redheaded boy came in. **

"**Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing at the seat opposite Harry. "Everywhere else is full." **

"Oh good, make friends with him," Lily said.

"Okay mum, I will," Harry said laughing lightheartedly.

"Yeah, Weasleys make really good friends," Remus said.

"They are not Weasleys, Moony," Sirius pouted, he was already sure he was wrong.

**Harry shook his head and the boy sat down. He glanced at Harry and then looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked. Harry saw he still had a black mark on his nose. **

"And of course Harry wouldn't tell him about that," Hermione laughed.

"Why is that so funny?" Lily asked.

"You'll see," Hermione smiled.

"**Hey, Ron." **

**The twins were back. **

"**Listen, we're going down the middle of the train — Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there." **

"That's what it was!" James exclaimed excitedly. "I had been wondering."

"**Right," mumbled Ron. **

"Looks like Ickle Ronniekins doesn't like spiders."

"**Harry," said the other twin, "did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. **

"Told you, pay up," Remus said.

"We still don't know it that was Molly," Sirius argued, he was already reaching in his pocket to pay his smirking friend.

"For Merlin sake, it is Molly," Harry said smiling. "And Remus is right she is the best."

"Thanks Harry."

**And this is Ron, our brother. See you later, then." **

"**Bye," said Harry and Ron. The twins slid the compartment door shut behind them. **

"**Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron blurted out. **

"No tact."

**Harry nodded. **

"What did he think, his brothers were… oh, never mind," Frank said trailing off at the end realizing his brothers were likely to trick him like that.

"**Oh — well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes," said Ron. "And have you really got — you know…" **

**He pointed at Harry's forehead. **

"I never did have much tact did I?" Ron laughed at himself.

**Harry pulled back his bangs to show the lightning scar. Ron stared. **

"**So that's where You-Know-Who —?"**

"Didn't his mum tell you not to ask about that?" Lily said.

"Technically, she told the twins not to, not me," Ron smiled.

"**Yes," said Harry, "but I can't remember it." **

"**Nothing?" said Ron eagerly. **

"**Well — I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else." **

"**Wow," said Ron. He sat and stared at Harry for a few moments, then, as though he had suddenly realized what he was doing, he looked quickly out of the window again. **

"**Are all your family wizards?" asked Harry, who found Ron just as interesting as Ron found him. **

"I never knew that," Ron mused.

"**Er — Yes, I think so," said Ron. "I think Mom's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."**

"Why not?" Lily said annoyed they would just forget about their family if there were Muggle.

"I'm pretty sure that he wanted to be left alone," Ron said. "Mum was rather upset when it happened."

"Yeah. He was like an equivalent to Petunia, but to a lesser extent." Ginny defended her family.

"**So you must know loads of magic already." **

"Not necessarily." James said, "I didn't really know much when I came to Hogwarts."

"You barely know anything now," Lily teased.

"Oi! I'll have you know that I am top in the class!" James defended himself.

Remus cleared his throat.

"Well, after Remus." James said, "And Lily. So I'm third!"

Lily laughed, "Sure, sure."

**The Weasleys were clearly one of those old wizarding families the pale boy in Diagon Alley had talked about. **

"I don't really think he was thinking about us. You know, blood-traitors and all."

"**I heard you went to live with Muggles," said Ron. "What are they like?" **

"**Horrible — well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though. Wish I'd had three wizard brothers." **

"**Five," said Ron. For some reason, he was looking gloomy. **

"Why is he gloomy?" Alice asked.

"**I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. **

"Merlin that is a lot of children," Sirius said.

**You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left — Bill was head boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. **

"Well at least one of them have their priority straight," Sirius said.

"There is nothing wrong with being head boy," James said in his most pristine voice.

"I guess that's true," Sirius said. "You were Head boy and you're okay."

"Gee thanks," James said, rolling his eyes.

**Now Percy's a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first. **

"Sounds like you have an inferiority complex," Frank said sadly, looking at Ron, who shrugged.

"I'm the first one in my family to be Harry Potter's best mate," he said loudly, but there was a bit of uncertainty hidden there.

Harry just sat there in thought, he didn't remember Ron saying that the first time, but it does explain a lot of things. Ron always worried about what everyone else thought, and thought that he wasn't good enough, not realizing just how good he was, how important. Ron never realized that Harry never could have done anything without his support, and just how much Harry and Hermione needed him to stay sane.

Ginny, meanwhile, just smacked him.

**You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat." **

Ron shivered and glared darkly at the book for the mention of that rat.

**Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat gray rat, which was asleep.**

"Ah, wormy," Sirius said joyously, the other marauders laughed, though Remus shot Sirius a warning look.

They didn't notice the furious glare that flashed on Harry's face at the mention of both the rat and the nickname that Sirius used.

"**His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. **

"It does remind me of him," Sirius said.

"Yeah it does," Remus laughed with his friend.

**Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a prefect, but they couldn't aff — I mean, I got Scabbers instead." **

**Ron's ears went pink. **

"What are you embarrassed about?" James asked. "So what if you couldn't afford everything, that doesn't really matter."

"I know that now."

**He seemed to think he'd said too much, because he went back to staring out of the window. **

**Harry didn't think there was anything wrong with not being able to afford an owl. After all, he'd never had any money in his life until a month ago, and he told Ron so, all about having to wear Dudley's old clothes and never getting proper birthday presents. This seemed to cheer Ron up. **

"What a prat," Hermione said in a loving voice.

"… **and until Hagrid told me, I didn't know anything about being a wizard or about my parents or Voldemort —" **

**Ron gasped. **

"**What?" said Harry. **

"**You said You-Know-Who's name!" **

"Oh God, get over it!"

"Sorry! I was taught to fear the name. Harry taught me otherwise, though, but it took awhile to sink in…"

**said Ron, sounding both shocked and impressed. "I'd have thought you, of all people —" **

"**I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name," said Harry, "I just never knew you shouldn't. See what I mean? I've got loads to learn… I bet," he added, voicing for the first time something that had been worrying him a lot lately, "I bet I'm the worst in the class." **

"Don't worry Harry, no one really knows anything when they first get to Hogwarts," James said.

"Except Hermione!" Harry laughed.

"**You won't be. There's loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quick enough." **

**While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep. They were quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past. **

**Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the cart, dears?" **

"She doesn't sound familiar," Sirius said.

"There must be a new trolley lady then," Hermione shrugged.

**Harry, who hadn't had any breakfast, leapt to his feet, but Ron's ears went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. Harry went out into the corridor. **

**He had never had any money for candy with the Dursleys, and now that he had pockets rattling with gold and silver he was ready to buy as many Mars Bars as he could carry **

"What are Mars Bars?" James asked.

"They're Muggle candy bars," Lily said.

— **but the woman didn't have Mars Bars. What she did have were Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs. Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and a number of other strange things Harry had never seen in his life.**

"Thanks for describing them."

**Not wanting to miss anything, he got some of everything and paid the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts. **

"Got to love cheap candy," Remus smiled.

**Ron stared as Harry brought it all back in to the compartment and tipped it onto an empty seat. **

"You better share," Lily reprimanded.

"Don't worry, I do," Harry laughed.

"**Hungry, are you?" **

"**Starving," said Harry, taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty. **

**Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches inside. He pulled one of them apart and said, "She always forgets I don't like corned beef…" **

"**Swap you for one of these," said Harry, holding up a pasty. "Go on —" **

"**You don't want this, it's all dry," said Ron. "She hasn't got much time," he added quickly, "you know, with five of us." **

"**Go on, have a pasty," said Harry, who had never had anything to share before or, indeed, anyone to share it with. It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron, eating their way through all Harry's pasties, cakes, and candies (the sandwiches lay forgotten). **

"That's all it took to be friends with you," Neville said. "Share some sweets and you're best mates, just like that."

"Yeah," Harry said shrugging. "Sometimes it's easy and others… well takes awhile." Harry said thinking of how long it took him to get his other best friend (and indeed anyone that wasn't Ron).

"**What are these?" Harry asked Ron, holding up a pack of Chocolate Frogs.**

"Ah, my favorite candy," Ron said.

"**They're not really frogs, are they?" He was starting to feel that nothing would surprise him. **

"**No," said Ron. "But see what the card is. I'm missing Agrippa." **

"I've got four of Agrippa," James said proudly.

"Shut up. Bet you don't have Harry Potter."

"Shut up."

"**What?" **

"**Oh, of course, you wouldn't know — Chocolate Frogs have cards, inside them, you know, to collect — famous witches and wizards. I've got about five hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy." **

"And I've got seven of Ptolemy."

"SHUT UP!"

**Harry unwrapped his Chocolate Frog and picked up the card. It showed a man's face. He wore half-moon glasses, had a long, crooked nose, and flowing silver hair, beard, and mustache.**

"Dumbledore!"

**Underneath the picture was the name Albus Dumbledore. **

"**So this is Dumbledore!" said Harry. **

"**Don't tell me you'd never heard of Dumbledore!" said Ron. "Can I have a frog? I might get Agrippa — thanks —" **

"He hasn't changed much has he," Neville said smiling.

"Not much," Harry laughed.

**Harry turned over his card and read: **

**ALBUS DUMBLEDORE **

**CURRENTLY HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS **

**Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling. **

**Harry turned the card back over and saw, to his astonishment, that Dumbledore's face had disappeared. **

"**He's gone!" **

"Of course he is, he wouldn't hang around all day," Sirius said.

"**Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day," said Ron. **

"Oh no, I'm sorry Harry but your friend seems to be he's like this mutt," Remus said laughing along with James.

"**He'll be back. No, I've got Morgana again and I've got about six of her… do you want it? You can start collecting." **

**Ron's eyes strayed to the pile of Chocolate Frogs waiting to be unwrapped. "Help yourself," said Harry. "But in, you know, the Muggle world, people just stay put in photos." **

"Really?"

"Yeah," she said, reaching into her robes. She pulled out a small black wallet from her pocket and opened it, holding it out to show James. "This is a muggle photo. It's of my parents, Petunia, and me. It was taken three years ago."

James stared at the photo for a full minute. "They really don't move? Strange."

"What," Sirius said after Lily looked at him expectantly. "I know that Muggle pictures don't move, I took Muggle studies remember."

"**Do they? What, they don't move at all?" Ron sounded amazed. "Weird!" **

Everyone laughed.

**Harry stared as Dumbledore sidled back into the picture on his card and gave him a small smile. Ron was more interested in eating the frogs than looking at the Famous Witches and Wizards cards, but Harry couldn't keep his eyes off them. Soon he had not only Dumbledore and Morgana, but Hengist of Woodcroft, Alberic Grunnion, Circe, Paracelsus, and Merlin. He finally tore his eyes away from the Druidess Cliodna, who was scratching her nose, to open a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. **

"I never really liked those," Remus said wrinkling his nose.

"**You want to be careful with those," Ron warned Harry. "When they say every flavor, they mean every flavor — you know, you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a booger-flavored one once." **

**Ron picked up a green bean, looked at it carefully, and bit into a corner. **

"Don't take a green one… it'll be a vegetable," James warned.

"**Bleaaargh — see? Sprouts." **

"See, told you," James said smugly.

"I didn't doubt you."

**They had a good time eating the Every Flavor Beans. Harry got toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine, and was even brave enough to nibble the end off a funny gray one Ron wouldn't touch, which turned out to be pepper. **

"Definitely a Gryffie."

**The countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The neat fields had gone. Now there were woods, twisting rivers, and dark green hills. **

**There was a knock on the door of their compartment and the round-faced boy Harry had passed on platform nine and three-quarters came in. He looked tearful. **

"Good Neville is back again," Alice said.

"You're not going to say that every time that Neville comes up are you?" Sirius asked.

"So what if I am," Alice said almost harshly, but not quite managing it.

"It's rather embarrassing," Neville whispered.

"I'll try not to," Alice said softly to her son.

"**Sorry," he said, "but have you seen a toad at all?" **

**When they shook their heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!" **

"**He'll turn up," said Harry. **

"That's nice," Lily said beaming at her son.

"Harry has always been nice to me," Neville said proudly.

"Good," Lily beamed more.

"**Yes," said the boy miserably. "Well, if you see him…" **

**He left. **

"**Don't know why he's so bothered," said Ron. "If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. **

**Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk." **

"Ron on the other hand…" Harry said, causing everyone to laugh.

**The rat was still snoozing on Ron's lap. **

"**He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference," said Ron in disgust. "I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look…" **

**He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end. **

"**Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway —" **

"That wand sounds old," Lily said. "Don't wands work better if you pick them yourself?"

"Yeah they do," Neville said knowledgeably, having used his father wand for his first five years of school and how much easier everything was with his own wand.

"How do you know?" Frank asked. But Neville just shook his head.

**He had just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. The toadless boy was back, but this time he had a girl with him. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes. **

"Me," Hermione cheered.

"**Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth.**

"Sounds like a prefect in the making," Sirius said making a face. Hermione slapped Harry for the description.

"She sounds like a nice girl, who is helping my boy," Alice said.

"Wow, Sirius, you really are something, I've never seen Alice this sharp with anyone before," Frank said laughing.

"**We've already told him we haven't seen it," said Ron, but the girl wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand. **

"**Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then." **

**She sat down. Ron looked taken aback. **

"A little pushy there isn't she," Sirius muttered.

"Hey."

"**Er — all right." **

**He cleared his throat. **

"**Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."**

There was a pause before everybody burst out laughing.

"I can't believe he thought that was a spell," Sirius laughed.

"I bet one of the twins gave it to him," James burst out.

**He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed gray and fast asleep. **

"**Are you sure that's a real spell?" said the girl. "Well, it's not very good, is it? **

"Speaking of no tact," James laughed.

**I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard — I've learned all our course books by heart,**

James tried to read the full sentence without taking breath but was unable to. "Merlin she can talk, she didn't even pause."

"She learned all the course books by heart, is she mental," Sirius gasped.

"Not everyone is like you Sirius," Lily said.

"Oh come on Lily, even I didn't read that much," Remus said. "Did you?"

"No, I guess not."

"Shut up."

**of course, I just hope it will be enough — I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?" **

**She said all this very fast. **

**Harry looked at Ron, and was relieved to see by his stunned face that he hadn't learned all the course books by heart either. **

"Yeah right, I doubt that Ron even opened his course books," Ginny laughed.

"**I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered. **

"**Harry Potter," said Harry. **

"**Are you really?" said Hermione. **

"See even Muggle-borns knew about you," Neville said, he kind of liked teasing Harry like this.

"Thanks," Harry said. "Though I don't think most knew as much as Hermione."

"No one ever does," Ron said.

"**I know all about you, of course — I got a few extra books, for background reading, and you're in **_**Modern Magical History**_** and **_**The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts**_** and **_**Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century**_**." **

"He might be, but it's all rubbish anyways," Hermione huffed.

"**Am I?" said Harry, feeling dazed. **

"**Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," said Hermione. "Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; **

"That's because it is," James said. "Maybe this girl not that bad after all."

"No, this girl is definitely going into Ravenclaw," Sirius said. "She read all the books, she read extra books…"

"Yeah, you probably are right," James said.

"She does seem a bit keen on learning doesn't she," Remus smiled.

"I bet she in Gryffindor," Lily blurted out.

"Come off it Lils," James said. "She kind of personifies Ravenclaw, don't you think?"

"I bet you all a Galleon a piece that she's a Gryffindor," Lily said confidently.

"Okay," Sirius said grinning cockily and James nodded his head.

"I don't know," Remus said pausing, he usually wouldn't bet against Lily senses, since she was really good at reading people, but this girl really did seem to be a Ravenclaw. "Fine, I'm in."

**I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad…"**

"Ravenclaw? Ew," James said.

"I was almost put in Ravenclaw." Lily said.

"Yeah, me too," Remus added.

"Me three!" Hermione admitted.

"Oh." James said, "Well…um...Hermione keep reading!"

"**It better not be, because that's where you're going." Sirius said confidentially. Hermione just smiled at him.**

"**Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon." **

**And she left, taking the toadless boy with her. **

"**Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Ron. **

"OW!" shouted Ron, for Hermione had just smacked him. "I don't think that anymore!" he defended.

"You better not."

**He threw his wand back into his trunk. "Stupid spell — George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud." **

"Naturally," Sirius said.

"**What house are your brothers in?" asked Harry. **

"**Gryffindor," said Ron. Gloom seemed to be settling on him again. "Mom and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin." **

"Don't even think that!" shouted Sirius dramatically.

"**That's the house Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who was in?" **

"**Yeah," said Ron. He flopped back into his seat, looking depressed. **

"**You know, I think the ends of Scabbers' whiskers are a bit lighter," said Harry, trying to take Ron's mind off houses. **

"That's nice of you Harry," Lily cooed.

"**So what do your oldest brothers do now that they've left, anyway?" **

**Harry was wondering what a wizard did once he'd finished school. **

"**Charlie's in Romania studying dragons, and Bill's in Africa doing something for Gringotts," said Ron. **

"Charlie sounds awesome," Sirius exclaimed.

"He is," Ginny said, she really liked her adventurous brother a lot.

"What does Bill do for Gringotts," Remus asked.

"He is a curse breaker," Harry said.

"That's pretty cool, too," Sirius admitted.

"**Did you hear about Gringotts? It's been all over the Daily Prophet, but I don't suppose you get that with the Muggles — someone tried to rob a high security vault." **

"Someone broke into Gringotts!"

**Harry stared. **

"**Really? What happened to them?" **

"**Nothing, that's why it's such big news. They haven't been caught. **

"And they got away, that amazing," Sirius said. "That person must be mental."

"Of course," Remus said. "No sane person would even attempt to rob Gringotts."

"No, they wouldn't," Neville said with a straight face, all the while cracking up inside.

"They don't have to be mental. Harry and his friends will rob the bank when he is older," Lily told them. James nodded.

"No he won't," Sirius replied.

**My dad says it must've been a powerful Dark wizard to get round Gringotts, but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it." **

**Harry turned this news over in his mind. He was starting to get a prickle of fear every time You-Know-Who was mentioned. He supposed this was all part of entering the magical world, but it had been a lot more comfortable saying "Voldemort" without worrying. **

"**What's your Quidditch team?" Ron asked. **

"**Er — I don't know any." Harry confessed.**

"Oh. My. God."

"Don't start, James."

"But Lily! He doesn't have a Quidditch team!"

"James!"

"Fine."

"**What!" Ron looked dumbfounded. "Oh, you wait, it's the best game in the world —" And he was off, explaining all about the four balls and the positions of the seven players, describing famous games he'd been to with his brothers and the broomstick he'd like to get if he had the money. He was just taking Harry through the finer points of the game when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't Neville the toadless boy, or Hermione Granger this time. **

"You should listen to Ron, Harry," James said unable to stop himself.

"Ron's team is the Cannons," Harry said, and everyone laughed expect Sirius.

"What's wrong with that, they're going to turn around anytime now," he said.

**Three boys entered, and Harry recognized the middle one at once: it was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop. **

"Argh," Sirius groaned.

**He was looking at Harry with a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley. **

"Looks like we get to find out if he is a Malfoy or not," James said.

"**Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?" **

"**Yes," said Harry. He was looking at the other boys. Both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean. Standing on either side of the pale boy, they looked like bodyguards. **

"**Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where Harry was looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." **

"Ha, I was right," James said. "Pay up Frank."

"I don't think I'm going to bet anymore," Frank mumbled to himself.

**Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger. Draco Malfoy looked at him. **

"Well, it is kind of a funny name."

"**Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford." **

Everyone in the room looked mutations at that.

**He turned back to Harry. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there." **

"What an arrogant prat," Lily said.

"Yeah, besides the Weasleys are a great family," Sirius said.

"You, more then anyone should know how people like Malfoy think about the Weasleys," Harry said.

"Doesn't make it true," Sirius said.

"No, it definitely doesn't."

**He held out his hand to shake Harry's, but Harry didn't take it. **

"**I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," he said coolly. **

"Good boy, Harry."

**Draco Malfoy didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks. **

"And thus started a great rivalry, one of the greatest in Hogwarts history, except for, possibly, James and Snape, because everyone knows about that," said Ron dramatically.

"**I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. **

"Oh, shoot the boy now!" Lily screamed.

"Shoot him? Shoot him? Just kill him!" James shouted.

**They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you." **

**Both Harry and Ron stood up. **

"**Say that again," Ron said, his face as red as his hair.**

"Boys," Lily reprimanded. "Not everything is solved by fighting."

"It's not?"

"**Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" Malfoy sneered. **

"**Unless you get out now," said Harry, more bravely than he felt, because Crabbe and Goyle were a lot bigger than him or Ron. **

"**But we don't feel like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food and you still seem to have some." **

**Goyle reached toward the Chocolate Frogs next to Ron — Ron leapt forward, but before he'd so much as touched Goyle, Goyle let out a horrible yell. **

"Why?"

**Scabbers the rat was hanging off his finger, sharp little teeth sunk deep into Goyle's knuckle**

"Woohoo! Go Wormy," Sirius said.

"I thought his name was Scabbers," Lily said, obviously confused.

"It is Lils, Padfoot is just being stupid," Harry said glaring at his godfather.

— **Crabbe and Malfoy backed away as Goyle swung Scabbers round and round, howling, and when Scabbers finally flew off and hit the window, all three of them disappeared at once. Perhaps they thought there were more rats lurking among the sweets, or perhaps they'd heard footsteps, because a second later, Hermione Granger had come in. **

"**What has been going on?" she said, looking at the sweets all over the floor and Ron picking up Scabbers by his tail. **

"**I think he's been knocked out," Ron said to Harry. He looked closer at Scabbers. "No — I don't believe it — he's gone back to sleep." **

**And so he had. **

"…That really does sound like Peter, though."

"**You've met Malfoy before?" **

"So are they just going to ignore you?" James laughed.

"Apparently," Hermione sighed.

**Harry explained about their meeting in Diagon Alley. **

"**I've heard of his family," said Ron darkly. "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side." He turned to Hermione. "Can we help you with something?" **

"**You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"**

"Oh mind your own business," Sirius said causing everyone from the future to glare at him and scream:

"SHUT UP!"

"**Scabbers has been fighting, not us," said Ron, scowling at her. "Would you mind leaving while we change?" **

"**All right — I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," said Hermione in a sniffy voice. **

"Poor girl," sighed Lily.

"Yeah, well."

"**And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?"**

"HA! That's great!"

_Well that didn't help her_, Harry thought trying not to laugh, noticing Ginny and Neville doing the same. "They only knew each other of five minutes and they're already bickering," Ginny whispered to him.

**Ron glared at her as she left. Harry peered out of the window. It was getting dark. He could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down. **

**He and Ron took off their jackets and pulled on their long black robes. Ron's were a bit short for him, you could see his sneakers underneath them. **

**A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately." **

**Harry's stomach lurched with nerves and Ron, he saw, looked pale under his freckles. They crammed their pockets with the last of the sweets and joined the crowd thronging the corridor. **

**The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Harry shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Harry heard a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?" **

"Yay Hagrid!"

**Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads. **

"**C'mon, follow me — any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!" **

**Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Harry thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice. **

"Okay! What's up with the toad! Please stop with the toad!"

"Blame the author, Sirius, not me."

"**Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here." **

**There was a loud "Oooooh!" **

"It is a beautiful sight," Lily said.

**The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers. **

"**No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry and Ron were followed into their boat by Neville and Hermione. **

"I wonder if Ron complained about that," Hermione smiled.

"**Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then — FORWARD!" **

**And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood. **

"**Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; **

"Remember when you didn't duck," James said to Sirius.

"No… but I remember when I was brought around surrounded by people looking worried," Sirius laughed.

**they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles. **

"**Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them. **

"There, you find him, now you can stop bringing him up," Sirius said.

"I don't really have control over that," Neville said, not sure what annoyed the man so much about Trevor.

"**Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle. **

**They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door. **

"**Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?" **

"Argh…"

**Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.**

"That's it," Hermione told the room. "Which one of you wants to read?"

"I will," said Frank. As he took the book from her, he had to smile. **"The Sorting Hat,"**

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><p><strong>Cookies for people who review! Like it? Love it? Hate it? Flame it? I don't care, just tell me how you feel!<br>**


	8. The Sorting Hat

**A/N:** I haven't posted in 13 days! Yikes! I have been so hopped up on homework, I just haven't had time to work on this. You guys can blame my math and science teachers mostly. Anyways, I do have chapter 8 up now! YAY! As usual I would like to shout out to everyone who reviewed which includes everyone previously mentioned and:

**PureAwesomeness13**

**Heidi**

**Miss R.E. Mulvey**

**Walnut**

**Hplam**

**unknown**

**Gabrielle2753**

I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH! Also another huge thank you to everybody else who read my story or put it on story alert or favorited it or really anything. You guys rock!**  
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><p>""<strong>The Sorting Hat,<strong>" Frank read.

Everyone smiled, remembering their own experience with the sorting hat.

"What house do you think Harry will be sorted into?" asked Lily.

"Gryffindor," said the Marauders instantly. No one really objected. But Lily.

"How can you be sure? I mean, he might be smart, and be a Ravenclaw," Lily insisted.

"Lily, he's not going to be a Ravenclaw. He's a born Gryffindor. Every Potter has been sorted into Gryffindor. You're a Gryffindor. He defeated Voldemort at the age of one. There honestly isn't any doubt," James replied exasperated.

"Are you forgetting the Parseltounge?" Lily shot back. James couldn't find a reply to that. Harry just sat and watched, amused.

**The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Harry's first thought was that this was not someone to cross. **

"Yeah, I get that aura from her, too," Sirus announced.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Doesn't stop you from crossing her, though, does it?"

"**The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid. **

"**Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." **

**She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of the Dursleys' house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors. **

"It really is wonderful isn't it," Lily smiled. "I spent most of my free time the first week just staring at it in wonder."

"And James spent most of his first week just staring at you in wonder," Sirius said.

Everyone snickered at that.

"I kind of thought he was a little slow when we first met," Remus laughed.

Everyone laughed harder at that.

**They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Harry could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right — the rest of the school must already be here — but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously. **

"Adorable."

"**Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. **

"She was right about that," Harry smiled at his friends, who couldn't help but feel more than a bit touched.

"Awwww," chorused the Marauders, and everybody laughed.

**You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room. **

"**The four houses are called Gryffindor, **

They all cheered.

**Hufflepuff, **

Sirius booed.

"What do you have against Hufflepuff?" Alice asked menacingly.

"That's my ex-girlfriend's house," he explained, shrugging.

"Ooh." Alice nodded, looking slightly amused.

**Ravenclaw,**

James booed.

"Do you have an ex-girlfriend in Ravenclaw?" Sirius asked him in surprise.

"No. We're tied with them for the Quidditch cup, so I hate them all right now." he said, shrugging.

"Girls and Quidditch, is that all boys think about?" Lily asked, shaking her head.

All of the boys in the room shrugged, "Most of the time."

**and Slytherin.**

Everyone booed.

**Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. **

"Except Slytherin," Sirius said in a stage-whisper. Most laughed.

**While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rulebreaking will lose house points. **

"A fact that Sirius and James doesn't seem to understand," Lily hissed.

"Oh we understand it..." James said.

"We just choose not to follow it," Sirius added laughing.

"Idiots," Remus said, affectionately, shaking his head.

"You guys remind me so much of the twins, its scary," Ginny told them, laughing.

**At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. **

"**The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." **

"Like the sorting hat cares," Sirius scoffed.

**Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose. **

"Obviously he's not very good at keeping his nose clean," Remus laughed.

"He's not," Hermione agreed.

"Hey!" replied Ron indignantly.

**Harry nervously tried to flatten his hair. **

"Never going to work," James smiled.

"I discovered that," Harry told his father. "Just a little bit."

"**I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly." **

**She left the chamber. Harry swallowed. **

"**How exactly do they sort us into houses?" he asked Ron. **

"You just have to put on a hat."

"Sirius, will you stop saying the obvious."

"Sorry Lily."

"**Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking." **

"Ron should stop listening to his brothers," James laughed.

"They're probably smart enough pranksters to tell the truth every once in a while so you don't know when you can believe them or not," Remus said smiling at his own friends, who did that quite often.

**Harry's heart gave a horrible jolt. A test? In front of the whole school? But he didn't know any magic yet —what on earth would he have to do? He hadn't expected something like this the moment they arrived. **

"Geez, son, relax," James said. "It looks like you got your overreaction and panic attacks from Lily."

"So I tend to look at things a little skeptically, it doesn't mean I panic," Lily retorted.

"Yes, it does," Remus told her.

Lily threw up her hands. "Really, Remus? I thought I could count on you to be on my side!"

**He looked around anxiously and saw that everyone else looked terrified, too. No one was talking much except Hermione Granger, who was whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one she'd need. **

"Know-it-all," Sirius said.

"Shut it."

"Sorry," came a wary sigh.

**Harry tried hard not to listen to her. He'd never been more nervous, never, not even when he'd had to take a school report home to the Dursleys saying that he'd somehow turned his teacher's wig blue. **

"Cool," James said.

"It seems that Harry caused a lot of accidentally magic when he was younger," Remus said.

"That makes sense with the way he was forced to live though," Hermione said.

**He kept his eyes fixed on the door. Any second now, Professor McGonagall would come back and lead him to his doom.**

"A little over dramatic there aren't you Harry," James said.

"You know, I've decided that I don't like it that you lot can hear my thoughts. It kind of sucks," Harry pouted.

"I think it's awesome," Ron laughed.

"Me too," Ginny and Hermione agreed.

"I don't know why. You lot are all going to get mad at me about something I think. Then you'll be like 'how could you think that! I thought we were friends!' and then I'm gonna be like 'I can't help what I thought, and you were probably doing something wrong or something' but you lot are never gonna listen!" Harry kept pouting. Everybody basically just stared at him until Frank started reading again.

**Then something happened that made him jump about a foot in the air — several people behind him screamed. **

"The ghosts?" Frank guessed.

"**What the —?" **

**He gasped. So did the people around him. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. **

"The ghosts."

**Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing. **

"They're always arguing," James said. "And it's always about the same thing."

"Actually, I walked in on them planning what they were going to say," Alice told them. "It was cool, but it kind of ruined the whole effect, though."

**What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance —" **

"Peeves."

"**My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost — I say, what are you all doing here?" **

"Waiting to be sorted duh," Ron said rolling his eyes.

"They don't have time to bother remembering about mere details like that when they have an important argument to get through," Sirius smiled.

**A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years. **

**Nobody answered. **

"How rude."

"**New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?" **

"No, we're just standing here because we were bored." Ginny rolled her eyes.

**A few people nodded mutely. **

"**Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know." **

"Ugh," Sirius shuddered. "If Harry ends up in Hufflepuff _or Slytherin_ then I will disown him."

"He's not yours to disown," James laughed.

"And he won't be in Hufflepuff or Slytherin," Remus added.

"**Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start." **

"Minnie's back!" yelled the Marauders happily.**  
><strong>

**Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall. **

"**Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me." **

**Feeling oddly as though his legs had turned to lead, Harry got into line behind a boy with sandy hair, with Ron behind him, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall. **

**Harry had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place. **

They all sighed, remembering the place.

**It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Harry looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. He heard Hermione whisper, "Its bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in ****Hogwarts, A History****." **

"Who actually read that book?" James laughed.

"I read it." Remus said, looking unashamed.

"Yeah, but you're Remy."

"Well, she's Hermione," Harry argued.

"I bet she's Muggle born." Lily added, "So she won't know anything about the school."

"I bet she'll be in Ravenclaw." James said.

"Nu-uh. She'll be in Gryffindor." Lily said.

"No way!" Sirius exclaimed, "A bookworm like her? She'll so be in Ravenclaw."

"Well, Lily had known a lot of stuff when she came to Hogwarts and she was in Gryffindor," Remus pointed out.

Hermione was having a hard time not laughing. She had already told them she was a Gryffindor, and they're still arguing about it.

**It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open on to the heavens. **

**Harry quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. Aunt Petunia wouldn't have let it in the house. **

"Petunia probably would have ran from the hat screaming as soon as it opened it mouth," Lily laughed.

**Maybe they had to try and get a rabbit out of it****, Harry thought wildly, that seemed the sort of thing **

"Why in the world would we do that?" Frank asked.

"It's what Muggle magicians do," Lily said.

"Hm."

**noticing that everyone in the hall was now staring at the hat, he stared at it, too. **

**For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth — and the hat began to sing: **

"**Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,**

"Come on Frank, you've got to sing," Sirius said.

"No," was all Frank said.

"Would you rather I did it, then?" He asked, reaching out to take the book from her.

"No!" Remus and James screamed.

"No," Remus continued, "Just sing it, Frank."

"Um...okay."

**But don't judge on what you see, **

"Much better."

**I'll eat myself if you can find **

**A smarter hat than me. **

"Do you think he'll do that now?" Sirius asked turning to James.

"I don't know," James laughed. "But it might be worth it trying to find a smarter hat."

**You can keep your bowlers black, **

**Your top hats sleek and tall, **

**For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat **

**And I can cap them all. **

**There's nothing hidden in your head **

**The Sorting Hat can't see, **

**So try me on and I will tell you **

**Where you ought to be. **

**You might belong in Gryffindor, **

**Where dwell the brave at heart, **

**Their daring, nerve, and chivalry **

**Set Gryffindors apart; **

**You might belong in Hufflepuff, **

**Where they are just and loyal, **

**Those patient Hufflepuffs are true **

**And unafraid of toil; **

"You know that sounds similar to Gryffindor," Alice mused. "I mean the unafraid of toil..."

**Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, **

**if you've a ready mind, **

**Where those of wit and learning, **

**Will always find their kind; **

**Or perhaps in Slytherin **

**You'll make your real friends, **

**Those cunning folk use any means **

**To achieve their ends. **

**So put me on! Don't be afraid! **

**And don't get in a flap! **

**You're in safe hands (though I have none) **

**For I'm a Thinking Cap!" **

**The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again. **

"That was a pretty good one," James said.

"Not as gloomy as the ones we get," Remus added.

"Yeah, well, we weren't in the middle of a war," Neville pointed out. Just then Teddy started crying again, and Remus took the opportunity to swoop in and take care of his son again. Everybody smiled.

"**So we've just got to try on the hat!" Ron whispered to Harry. "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll." **

James, Sirius and Remus laughed good-naturedly, even Lily cracked a smile, but Harry just blinked at that, remembering the troll that they were going to face in a few months.

"He kind of predicts a lot of things when he is joking doesn't he," Hermione whispered.

"Yeah, we should pay more attention to him," Harry smiled.

**Harry smiled weakly. Yes, trying on the hat was a lot better than having to do a spell, but he did wish they could have tried it on without everyone watching. **

"He really can't stand any attention can he," James said incredulously.

"No, I can't," Harry told him, amused. His father probably would have loved the attention

**The hat seemed to be asking rather a lot; Harry didn't feel brave or quick-witted or any of it at the moment. **

**If only the hat had mentioned a house for people who felt a bit queasy, that would have been the one for him. **

"Probably everyone would be in that house, then."

**Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment. **

"**When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!" **

Neville blushed, but only his mum noticed. James was too busy shouting: "Hufflepuff!"

**A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moments pause — **

"**HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat. **

"Ha! I was right!"

**The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her. **

"**Bones, Susan!" **

"Hufflepuff," James shouted.

"You're not going to do that every time are you?" Remus asked annoyed.

"As long as I know where they're going," James shrugged.

"**HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah. **

"**Boot, Terry!" **

"Ravenclaw!"

"**RAVENCLAW!" **

**The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them. **

"**Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" **

"Gryffindor," James shouted.

**became the first new Gryffindor, **

"Yeah," Sirius and James cheered. Everyone just looked at them. "What? She's a Gryffindor."

**and the table on the far left exploded with cheers; Harry could see Ron's twin brothers catcalling. **

"**Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin. Perhaps it was Harry's imagination, after all he'd heard about Slytherin, but he thought they looked like an unpleasant lot. **

"Nope, not your imagination," James smirked. "They're a surly lot." Everybody laughed quietly at that.

**He was starting to feel definitely sick now. He remembered being picked for teams during gym at his old school. He had always been last to be chosen, not because he was no good, but because no one wanted Dudley to think they liked him. **

Anger sparked up in Lily, "I'm going to slap the boy silly the moment he's born!" She said angrily.

"Me too! I want in on this!" James said, nodding his head at Lily.

Lily looked at him, "Okay!"

"**Finch-Fletchley, Justin!" **

"Hufflepuff," James shouted.

"**HUFFLEPUFF!" **

**Sometimes, Harry noticed, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others it took a little while to decide. "Finnigan, Seamus," **

James tried to shout 'Gryffindor' but Ginny had put the silencing charm on him. James glared at her but she just smiled at him sweetly.

**the sandy-haired boy next to Harry in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.**

"Alright," all the marauders cheered.

"**Granger, Hermione!" **

**Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.**

"The moment of truth," Sirius said already holding out his hand for his winnings.

"**GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat. Ron groaned. **

He got smacked by Hermione for that one, too.

"What, no way," Sirius said looking incredulity.

"Pay up, loser," Lily laughed.

"Don't be a sore winner Lils," James said smiling anyways.

"But… this can't be… she read all the books," Sirius said still in shock.

"Sorry, mate but she is in Gryffindor," defended his girlfriend, smiling.

**A horrible thought struck Harry, as horrible thoughts always do when you're very nervous. What if he wasn't chosen at all? **

"Right, like that's going to happen," James said rolling his eyes.

**What if he just sat there with the hat over his eyes for ages, until Professor McGonagall jerked it off his head and said there had obviously been a mistake and he'd better get back on the train? **

"And that's even more preposterous," Alice said. "She would just shout out a house for you herself before she let you just leave."

**When Neville Longbottom, the boy who kept losing his toad, was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. **

"Be careful, honey," Alice cooed moving away from Remus to sit by her son (she had gone over to him as soon as he got Teddy.)

"Mum don't," Neville said. "I'm kind of clumsy, I fall down a lot."

**The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. **

"It was debating Hufflepuff and Gryffindor," Neville told the room at large.

**When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to "MacDougal, Morag." **

"I'm proud of you," Alice said.

"Yeah, good job son," Frank said.

"Here, here," Sirius cheered.

**Malfoy swaggered forward when his name was called and got his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!" **

**Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself. **

**There weren't many people left now. "Moon"…, "Nott"… , "Parkinson"… , then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil"… , then "Perks, Sally-Anne"… , and then, at last — **

"**Potter, Harry!" **

"Gryffindor!" James and Lily shouted.

**As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall. **

"**Potter****, did she say?" **

"**The ****Harry Potter?" **

**The last thing Harry saw before the hat dropped over his eyes was the hall full of people craning to get a good look at him. Next second he was looking at the black inside of the hat. He waited. **

"**Hmm," said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. **

"No its not, he's a Gryffindor," Sirius said.

**Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, A my goodness, yes — and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting… So where shall I put you?"**

"So basically Harry could have fit in anywhere," Hermione said.

"But it said courage first," Ginny said. "I think that means he was really supposed to be in Gryffindor."

**Harry gripped the edges of the stool and thought, ****Not Slytherin, not Slytherin****. **

"**Not Slytherin, eh?" said the small voice. "Are you sure? You could be great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that — no? **

"No, he doesn't want to be in Slytherin!" Sirius said shouting now, completely panicked.

**Well, if you're sure — better be GRYFFINDOR!" **

"Merlin Harry you scared me there a minute," Sirius said.

"I must admit that I was worried for a minute or two there, too," James said.

"Would it have really have been that bad?" Harry asked.

"In general, no, but for you I think it would have been disastrous for our world," Remus answered. "There would have been a lot of doubt if you were a Slytherin and I don't think you would have had any friends in or out of that house."

"That would be bad. Thank God he didn't put me in Slytherin!"

**Harry heard the hat shout the last word to the whole hall. He took off the hat and walked shakily toward the Gryffindor table. He was so relieved to have been chosen and not put in Slytherin, he hardly noticed that he was getting the loudest cheer yet. Percy the Prefect got up and shook his hand vigorously, while the Weasley twins yelled, "We got Potter! We got Potter!" **

"Love those twins!"

**Harry sat down opposite the ghost in the ruff he'd seen earlier. The ghost patted his arm, giving Harry the sudden, horrible feeling he'd just plunged it into a bucket of ice-cold water. **

"Ugh. I hate that, too."

**He could see the High Table properly now. At the end nearest him sat Hagrid, who caught his eye and gave him the thumbs up. Harry grinned back. And there, in the center of the High Table, in a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore. Harry recognized him at once from the card he'd gotten out of the Chocolate Frog on the train. Dumbledore's silver hair was the only thing in the whole hall that shone as brightly as the ghosts. Harry spotted Professor Quirrell, too, the nervous young man from the Leaky Cauldron. He was looking very peculiar in a large purple turban. **

**And now there were only three people left to be sorted. "Thomas, Dean," a Black boy even taller than Ron, joined Harry at the Gryffindor table. **

"Way to go," Sirius cheered.

"**Turpin, Lisa," became a Ravenclaw and then it was Ron's turn. He was pale green by now.**

"Hm. Now that I think about it, I really didn't have any reason to be scared. At all. Honestly."

**Harry crossed his fingers under the table and a second later the hat had shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!" **

"YAY!" Everyone screamed.

**Harry clapped loudly with the rest as Ron collapsed into the chair next to him. **

"**Well done, Ron, excellent," said Percy Weasley pompously across Harry **

Everyone snickered at that. Sirius muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "Perfect prefect Percy…"

**as "Zabini, Blaise," was made a Slytherin. Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away. **

**Harry looked down at his empty gold plate. He had only just realized how hungry he was. The pumpkin pasties seemed ages ago. **

"I'm starving," Sirius said.

"Did you just realize that?" Remus asked amused.

"Maybe," Sirius admitted blushing. "But that doesn't change the fact that I'm hungry now."

"We'll eat after this chapter is over with," Lily said looking at her watch. "It is about time for lunch anyways."

**Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there. **

"That might be true." Remus smiled.

"**Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! **

"What a weirdo," James said.

"He's still brilliant," Alice defended.

"No arguments there."

"Love that guy…"

"**Thank you!" **

**He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Harry didn't know whether to laugh or not. **

"**Is he — a bit mad?" he asked Percy uncertainly. **

"Definitely, but we love him anyways."

"**Mad?" said Percy airily. "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Harry?" **

**Harry's mouth fell open. **

"Unobservant, there, aren't you, mate?"

"Hey," Harry defended.

**The dishes in front of him were now piled with food. He had never seen so many things he liked to eat on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs. **

"Argh... I can't stand this," Sirius groaned.

"Then read faster, so we can go and eat," Remus said; he too looked rather hungry.

**The Dursleys had never exactly starved Harry, **

"Thank god for that," mumbled Lily.

**but he'd never been allowed to eat as much as he liked. Dudley had always taken anything that Harry really wanted, even if It made him sick. Harry piled his plate with a bit of everything except the peppermints and began to eat. It was all delicious. **

"**That does look good," said the ghost in the ruff sadly, watching Harry cut up his steak. **

"**Can't you —?" **

"Stupid question."

"**I haven't eaten for nearly five hundred years," said the ghost. "I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. **

**I don't think I've introduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower." **

"**I know who you are!" said Ron suddenly. "My brothers told me about you — you're Nearly Headless Nick!" **

"He hates being called that," James said smiling.

"**I would ****prefer ****you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy —" the ghost began stiffly, but sandy-haired Seamus Finnigan interrupted. **

"**Nearly ****Headless? How can you be ****nearly ****headless?" **

"Why would he ask that?" lamented Lily. "I hate it when he takes off his head."

"I have a theory that Nick secretly likes that question," James laughed. "So that he could gross everyone else out."

**Sir Nicholas looked extremely miffed, as if their little chat wasn't going at all the way he wanted. **

"**Like ****this****," he said irritably. He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. Someone had obviously tried to behead him, but not done it properly. Looking pleased at the stunned looks on their faces, **

"See," James said proudly.

**Nearly Headless Nick flipped his head back onto his neck, coughed, and said, "So — new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the house championship this year? Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row! **

"WHAT? NO!" The boys yelled.

"That's not possible!" Sirius continued.

"Slytherin sucks!" James agreed. Everybody nodded in agreement, but James continued. "They are major suck ups though." James reminded them.

"They must have sucked up to Slughorn or something. Merlin knows that gets Evans a lot of points," Sirius agreed.

"I don't suck up!" Lily defended herself, "I just do my work!"

"No, Lily, you suck up." Remus said.

Lily started to run at Remus, but Remus held Teddy up as a shield. Knowing she couldn't hurt a baby, she sat back down. "Let's just continue with the book, shall we?" Lily gritted her teeth, her eyes flashing.

**The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable — he's the Slytherin ghost." **

**Harry looked over at the Slytherin table and saw a horrible ghost sitting there, with blank staring eyes, a gaunt face, and robes stained with silver blood. **

"He is rather frightening isn't he," Lily said.

"He doesn't really do anything though... you shouldn't be afraid of him," Sirius told her.

**He was right next to Malfoy who, Harry was pleased to see, didn't look too pleased with the seating arrangements. **

"Of course he doesn't."

"**How did he get covered in blood?" asked Seamus with great interest. **

"**I've never asked," said Nearly Headless Nick delicately. **

"I did, but he never told me," Sirius said disappointed.

"Hm," Harry said smirking at Sirius.

"You know," Sirius said.

"Maybe," Harry laughed.

"No you don't, you're just trying to drive me crazy."

"Maybe, I'm doing that too."

"Evil," Lily laughed.

"Hmph," Sirius huffed and crossed his arms.

"So, do you know?" Lily asked curiously.

"Maybe," Harry said the same way he said to Sirius.

"At least you're an equal opportunity meanie," Sirius.

Everyone laughed.

"So does he know or not?" Sirius asked.

"He knows," the people from the future, minus Harry, said Harry pouted when they gave away his secret.

**When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the desserts appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavor you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate éclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding… **

**As Harry helped himself to a treacle tart, **

"That's my favorite," Harry said.

"It's mine too," James said smiling.

**the talk turned to their families. **

"**I'm half-and-half," said Seamus. "Me dad's a Muggle. Mom didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him."**

"That wasn't very smart, he's lucky his father took it well," Lily said, knowing her ex-best friend was caught in a similar situation but his father resented him for it.

"Definitely," Harry told her staring at her, making her think he knew what she was thinking.

**The others laughed. **

"**What about you, Neville?" said Ron. **

"**Well, my gran brought me up and she's a witch," **

"What happened to Alice and Frank?" Lily asked, fear in her eyes. "They can't be dead, could they?"

James shrugged, "I dunno." Everyone looked at Harry, but Harry looked at Neville and gave him a small nod.

"You were tortured into insanity by Bellatrix Black." Everyone gasped, Lily cried, and Sirius shouted, "That bitch!" Lily was so stunned she didn't even bother to reprimand him. Alice just clung to Frank, shaking. Frank just kept reading, hoping to get the horrible images out of his head.

**said Neville, "but the family thought I was all-Muggle for ages. **

"Doesn't he mean Squib?" Ron asked.

**My Great Uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me — he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned — **

"That's horrible, they shouldn't have done that," Alice said indignantly.

**but nothing happened until I was eight. Great Uncle Algie came round for dinner, and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles when my Great Auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. **

Everyone gasped.

**But I bounced — all the way down the garden and into the road. They were all really pleased, Gran was crying, she was so happy. **

"I can see why she would be happy, but still... that's no way to treat a child," Alice huffed.

**And you should have seen their faces when I got in here — they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great Uncle Algie was so pleased he bought me my toad." **

"That's horrible," Alice said.

"Eh," Neville shrugged.

Alice looked like she was going to say something else, but Neville cut her off.

"Mum," Neville said smiling at her. "It's fine. I've found who I am now and I'm okay."

"Okay."

**On Harry's other side, Percy Weasley and Hermione were talking about lessons **

"Gee, that's a shocker," Ron laughed and Hermione glared at him.

**("I ****do ****hope they start right away, there's so much to learn, I'm particularly interested in Transfiguration, **

"Hm. Anyone who likes transfiguration can't be that bad," James mused.

"Just because it's your best subject doesn't mean you should like someone simply because they are interested in it to," Lily said.

"Actually, my favorite subject was always charms," Hermione told them.

"I like her," Lily announced. James stuck his tongue out at her.

**you know, turning something into something else, of course, it's supposed to be very difficult —"; "You'll be starting small, just matches into needles and that sort of thing — "). **

**Harry, who was starting to feel warm and sleepy, looked up at the High Table again. Hagrid was drinking deeply from his goblet. Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore. Professor Quirrell, in his absurd turban, was talking to a teacher with greasy black hair,**

"No!"

**a hooked nose,**

"NO!"

**and sallow skin. **

"NOOOOO! No, it can't be," Sirius shouted.

"Let's hope not," James said paling; if it was who he thought it was, Harry was in serious trouble. Lily just smacked them both over the head.

**It happened very suddenly. The hook-nosed teacher looked past Quirrell's turban straight into Harry's eyes — and a sharp, hot pain shot across the scar on Harry's forehead. **

"I didn't know that your scar hurt you," Luna said concerned.

"Wait, what's that about?" Lily asked, a bit panicked.

"**Ouch!" Harry clapped a hand to his head. **

"**What is it?" asked Percy. **

"**N-nothing." **

**The pain had gone as quickly as it had come. Harder to shake off was the feeling Harry had gotten from the teacher's look — a feeling that he didn't like Harry at all. **

"Damn, it is definitely him," Sirius said.

"Sirius," Lily yelled and Sirius didn't even flinch, he was too worried for his godson.

"**Who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?" he asked Percy. **

"**Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he's looking so nervous, that's Professor Snape. **

"No," James moaned.

"That's definitely not good," Remus agreed.

"You don't know, he might be all right," Lily said hesitantly, not wanting to have to hear how cruel her ex-friend was going to become.

"There's no way that Snape will be civil to my son… especially one that looks exactly like me," James said bitterly.

"But he has Lily's eyes," Remus said hopefully.

"It's not gonna be enough."

**He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to — everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape." **

"For sure."

**Harry watched Snape for a while, but Snape didn't look at him again. **

**At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent. **

"**Ahem — just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. **

"Fed and watered," James laughed. "Are they some kind of animal?"

**I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. **

"**First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well." **

"What's that?" Sirius said. "What did he just said?"

"I have no idea," James smirked. "Must not be important if neither one of us heard it."

"Idiots," Lily said rolling her eyes.

**Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins.**

"For some reason he would always look at us when we were there," Sirius said grinning.

"Maybe because he knew you were always sneaking out to go there," Lily supplied, but there was a twinkle in her eye, and they could tell she was amused.

"**I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. **

"No one is ever going to listen to that one," Ron scoffed.

"**Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. **

"**And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death." **

"What a cheerful thing to say," James laughed.

"It must be serious though," Alice said looking grim.

"Why is it forbidden?" Sirius asked.

"Not sure, but it might have something to do with the stone," Remus mused and Harry pouted again.

"Looks like I'm right."

"It's just not fair that you were able to figure it out so easily."

**Harry laughed, but he was one of the few who did. **

"**He's not serious?" **

"Of course not. I'm Sirius."

" Oh God."

**he muttered to Percy. **

"**Must be," said Percy, frowning at Dumbledore. "It's odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere — the forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told us prefects, at least." **

"**And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. Harry noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed. **

Sirius and Remus grinned. "I love the school song," they said happily.

**Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words. **

"Did you really have to use the word snakelike? Now I'm never going to be able to look at it the same way again." James pouted.

"**Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!" **

Sirius, Remus and James took a big breath.

"What are you guys doing?" Lily asked.

"We're going to sing." Sirius said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Okay then." And they all sang:

**And the school bellowed: **

"**Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts, **

**Teach us something please, **

**Whether we be old and bald **

**Or young with scabby knees, **

**Our heads could do with filling **

**With some interesting stuff, **

**For now they're bare and full of air, **

**Dead flies and bits of fluff, **

**So teach us things worth knowing, **

**Bring back what we've forgot, **

**just do your best, we'll do the rest, **

**And learn until our brains all rot." **

Lily had sung it as fast as she could, just like she always did, but the boys and Ginny were singing very slowly.

"Just finish it already!" Lily snapped, after hearing them sing the same line for 5 minutes.

"Fine!" They screamed back, hurriedly singing the last notes.

**Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest. **

"**Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! **

"Gotta love Dumbledore…"

**And now, bedtime. Off you trot!" **

"I guess he thinks that they're horses," James smirked.

**The Gryffindor first years followed Percy through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall, and up the marble staircase. Harry's legs were like lead again, but only because he was so tired and full of food. He was too sleepy even to be surprised that the people in the portraits along the corridors whispered and pointed as they passed, or that twice Percy led them through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries. **

"You're going to be lost in the morning," James grinned.

**They climbed more staircases, yawning and dragging their feet, and Harry was just wondering how much farther they had to go when they came to a sudden halt. **

**A bundle of walking sticks was floating in midair ahead of them, and as Percy took a step toward them they started throwing themselves at him. **

"Good old Peeves," James smiled.

Sirius added, "He's not that bad once you get on his good side."

"Yeah, but he would turn on you if it amused him," Remus noted.

"**Peeves," Percy whispered to the first years. "A poltergeist." He raised his voice, "Peeves — show yourself." **

**A loud, rude sound, like the air being let out of a balloon, answered. **

"**Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron?" **

"Prefect! Bringing out the Baron card so soon! We're gong to have trouble with this one, we are! I can just feel it," Sirius huffed.

**There was a pop, and a little man with wicked, dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared, floating cross-legged in the air, clutching the walking sticks. **

"**Oooooooh!" he said, with an evil cackle. "Ickle Firsties! What fun!" **

**He swooped suddenly at them. They all ducked. **

"**Go away, Peeves, or the Baron'll hear about this, I mean it!" barked Percy. **

"Git," James said.

**Peeves stuck out his tongue and vanished, dropping the walking sticks on Neville's head. **

"Poor kid."

"Eh," said Neville.

**They heard him zooming away, rattling coats of armor as he passed. **

"**You want to watch out for Peeves," said Percy, as they set off again. "The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us prefects. **

"Git. No one listens to prefects. Least of all Peeves."

**Here we are." **

**At the very end of the corridor hung a portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress. **

"**Password?" she said. **

"**Caput Draconis," said Percy, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. They all scrambled through it — Neville needed a leg up — and found themselves in the Gryffindor common room, a cozy, round room full of squashy armchairs.**

"I love our common room," Sirius exclaimed.

"Me too."

**Percy directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the boys through another. At the top of a spiral staircase — they were obviously in one of the towers — they found their beds at last: five four-posters hung with deep red, velvet curtains. Their trunks had already been brought up. Too tired to talk much, they pulled on their pajamas and fell into bed. **

"**Great food, isn't it?" Ron muttered to Harry through the hangings. "Get ****off****, Scabbers! He's chewing my sheets." **

The marauders laughed. Harry assumed that meant that Wormtail must have chewed his sheets when he was human too.

**Harry was going to ask Ron if he'd had any of the treacle tart, but he fell asleep almost at once. **

"Well, that's no fun."

**Perhaps Harry had eaten a bit too much, because he had a very strange dream. He was wearing Professor Quirrell's turban, which kept talking to him, telling him he must transfer to Slytherin at once, because it was his destiny. Harry told the turban he didn't want to be in Slytherin; it got heavier and heavier; he tried to pull it off but it tightened painfully — and there was Malfoy, laughing at him as he struggled with it — then Malfoy turned into the hook-nosed teacher, Snape, whose laugh became high and cold — there was a burst of green light and Harry woke, sweating and shaking. **

"Snape killed him?" Sirius asked. "I'll kill him!"

"It was just a dream, Sirius." Remus said, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, but I still want to kill him!" Sirius said.

"That's one strange dream Harry," Frank said.

"You probably shouldn't eat so much right before you go to be," Lily cooed.

"Yeah," Harry said mulling over that dream and how much, in a weird way, it made sense.

**He rolled over and fell asleep again, and when he woke next day, he didn't remember the dream at all.**

"That's it," Frank said looking relieved. "Here you go Ron," he said passing the book. Harry looked over Ron's shoulder at the title and laughed.

"Looks like you get to read about our favorite Professor, Ron," he told him merrily. Ron just sighed sadly.

"Okay, let's eat," Sirius said, making the room conjure up some food.

"Fine."

* * *

><p>REVIEW! COOKIESIFYOUREVIEW! YAY!<p> 


	9. The Potions Master

**A/N:**

***Ducks on stage*: **Heh heh...better late than never, right?

***Crowd throws tomatoes*: BOO!**

Hey! I have a good excuse!

***Crowd stops throwing things and looks at her***

Okay, not really.

***Crowd starts booing again***

Okay, so here's my excuse: I was out of town last week, without internet ***horror of horrors*** and I _meant_ to post it before I left, but I discovered yesterday, when I got back, that I hadn't! And I would've posted it yesterday, but, you know, it was HALLOWEEN!

***Hands you a puppy and a cookie* **Does this make up for it?

***Knowing there's no way you can resist, you forgive her* **

***She jumps up and down and claps excitedly* **The story must go on!

* * *

><p>Thanks to everyone who reviewed:<p>

**Gabrielle2753**

**Augury of Destruction**

**Izzy Lois Skywalker**

**rubina**

** PureAwesomeness13**

and everyone else who read my story!**  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer: I own Harry Potter!<strong>

***Angry mob knocks down my door* Okay not really. JK Rowling does. Happy?**

***They all nod* Good. Now go buy me a replacement door!**

***They walk off grumbling***

* * *

><p>"<strong>The Potions Master,"<strong>Ron read."

"Oh God! Why does he get his own chapter?" moaned Sirius.

Lily just sighed inwardly. She really didn't want to have to read about how cruel her ex-best friend had become. She knew it would break her heart.

"**There, look."**

"Where?"

"Shut up, Sirius."

"Okay."

"**Where?"**

"**Next to the tall kid with the red hair."**

"OI!"

"**Wearing the glasses?"**

"Oh God."

"**Did you see his face?"**

"**Did you see his scar?"**

"Do they always follow you around?" Frank asked; he was never one for admirers.

"It depends," Harry answered.

"On what?"

"It depends on what view on Harry they're going for: crazy or heroic," sighed Hermione.

**Whispers followed Harry from the moment he left his dormitory the next day. People lining up outside classrooms stood on tiptoe to get a look at him, or doubled back to pass him in the corridors again, staring.**

"Come on James, even you have to admit, that would be annoying," Lily said.

"Maybe a little," James shrugged.

**Harry wished they wouldn't, because he was trying to concentrate on finding his way to classes.**

**There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts:**

"Did you actually count them?" Remus asked skeptically.

"No," Ron said smirking. "But Mione did."

"Actually," Hermione answered, "it was in _Hogwarts, a History_."

**wide, sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump. **

"Hate those ones."

**Then there were doors that wouldn't open unless you asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending. **

"Those jerks."

**It was also very hard to remember where anything was, because it all seemed to move around a lot.**

"Then get a map!" James laughed.

"Oh don't worry," said Harry mysteriously. "I will."

"When?" asked Sirius eagerly.

"Eventually," answered Harry evasively.

"Hmph," Sirius pouted.

**The people in the portraits kept going to visit each other, and Harry was sure the coats of armor could walk.**

"They can."

**The ghosts didn't help, either. It was always a nasty shock when one of them glided suddenly through a door you were trying to open. Nearly Headless Nick was always happy to point new Gryffindors in the right direction, but Peeves the Poltergeist was worth two locked doors and a trick staircase if you met him when you were late for class.**

"Yeah, but he's still brilliant," James laughed.

"He's our hero," added Sirius.

"And our idol," finished Remus.

**He would drop wastepaper baskets on your head, pull rugs from under your feet, pelt you with bits of chalk, or sneak up behind you, invisible, grab your nose, and screech, "GOT YOUR CONK!"**

"Yes!" shouted all of the Marauders at once, startling everyone but Lily, who was used to their random acts every now and then.

"Yes! He still does that!" James pumped his fist in the air.

"We taught him that!" Remus agreed.

"Good to know we left our mark on the school," sighed Sirius.

**Even worse than Peeves, if that was possible, was the caretaker, Argus Filch. Harry and Ron managed to get on the wrong side of him on their very first morning.**

"Excellent," James said. "Our son was much more of a troublemaker then I thought he was."

"He's not a troublemaker James," Lily groaned. "At least not like you are."

So James appealed to Harry. "Do we have more Marauders in the making?" James questioned.

"Unfortunately I never really had time to make mischief, at least not on purpose," Harry answered.

"See," Lily said, smugly, while James pouted. So Sirius chimed in.

"You can't enjoy school without making a little trouble, though," said Sirius seriously. **(A/N: See what I did there? Heh heh…Oh never mind.)**

"Oh, I make plenty of trouble," he told them, making the Marauders happier.

"Just not on purpose," Ron laughed.

**Filch found them trying to force their way through a door that unluckily turned out to be the entrance to the out-of-bounds corridor on the third floor.**

"Yeah that would get you in trouble," Remus laughed.

**He wouldn't believe they were lost, was sure they were trying to break into it on purpose, and was threatening to lock them in the dungeons when they were rescued by Professor Quirrell, who was passing.**

**Filch owned a cat called Mrs. Norris, a scrawny, dust-colored creature with bulging, lamp like eyes just like Filch's. She patrolled the corridors alone. Break a rule in front of her, put just one toe out of line, and she'd whisk off for Filch, who'd appear, wheezing, two seconds later.**

"Ugh. I HATE Filch and THAT STUPID CAT!" Sirius and James ranted.

"I know." Remus tried to comfort them. "I know."

**Filch knew the secret passageways of the school better than anyone (except perhaps the Weasley twins)**

"And us!" The Marauders screamed.

"He doesn't know you." Lily reminded them.

"Oh, yeah."

**and could pop up as suddenly as any of the ghosts. The students all hated him, and it was the dearest ambition of many to give Mrs. Norris a good kick.**

"That doesn't sound like that bad of an idea," Sirius mused.

"Not at all," James agreed.

"You will NOT kick the kitty," Lily told them sternly.

**And then, once you had managed to find them, there were the classes themselves. There was a lot more to magic, as Harry quickly found out, than waving your wand and saying a few funny words.**

"That's too bad, isn't it," Sirius agreed.

"You're just lazy," Remus said.

"That could not be more true," Sirius ageed.

**They had to study the night skies through their telescopes every Wednesday at midnight and learn the names of different stars and the movements of the planets. Three times a week they went out to the greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology, with a dumpy little witch called Professor Sprout,**

"Oh she's new," Alice said. "Is she any good?"

"She very good, and nice too," Neville answered smiling.

**where they learned how to take care of all the strange plants and fungi, and found out what they were used for. Easily the most boring class was History of Magic,**

"Professor Binns just has to die soon. He has to," Sirius said.

**which was the only one taught by a ghost. **

"Apparently he has," added James.

**Professor Binns had been very old indeed when he had fallen asleep in front of the staff room fire and got up next morning to teach, leaving his body behind him. Binns droned on and on while they scribbled down names and dates, and got Emetic the Evil and Uric the Oddball mixed up.**

**Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk.**

"Aw, I love Professor Flitwick. He's my favorite," Lily stated.

"He's a really good teacher," Hermione agreed.

**At the start of their first class he took the roll call, and when he reached Harry's name he gave an excited squeak and toppled out of sight.**

"Good old Flitwick," Sirius laughed.

"I can see why everyone loves him now," laughed James.

**Professor McGonagall was again different. Harry had been quite right to think she wasn't a teacher to cross. Strict and clever, she gave them a talking-to the moment they sat down in her first class.**

"Ugh," groaned James and Sirius. "I hate Minnie's talking-to's."

"Then maybe you should stop doing things to make her give them to you," Lily told them, nodding her head and talking slowly, as though trying to convince a two-year-old. Sirius and James just looked at each other.

"Nah," they told her. "That's no fun."

"**Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."**

"Same old Minnie," Remus laughed.

**Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. They were all very impressed and couldn't wait to get started, but soon realized they weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time.**

"That's mean; to get there hopes up like that," James frowned.

"But it got us all interested," Ginny smiled. "It might make us work harder, knowing what we might be able to achieve."

"Maybe." James made a face.

**After taking a lot of complicated notes, they were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle. By the end of the lesson, only Hermione Granger had made any difference to her match;**

"No shocker there," Ron smiled.

"I did pretty good on my needle too... I almost changed it completely," Luna smiled.

"I guess you didn't get my Transfiguration talents?" James asked.

"Not really, I'm just average," Harry shrugged.

"I was able to change that match almost into a needle my first go," James mused.

**Professor McGonagall showed the class how it had gone all silver and pointy and gave Hermione a rare smile.**

The Marauders all gasped and feigned surprise. "Minnie smiled? No. Never!" Everybody just laughed at them.

**The class everyone had really been looking forward to was Defense Against the Dark Arts,**

"Always a good lesson."

**but Quirrell's lessons turned out to be a bit of a joke. **

"Ah, that sucks. I mean we didn't always have the greatest of teachers, or the nicest, but it still is kind of annoying," said Remus.

"Kind of?" grumbled Sirius. DADA was his favorite subject, but he had to deal with crappy teachers that either hated him or didn't teach the material well. He had a total of two good teachers in seven years, but he still somehow loved the subject.

**His classroom smelled strongly of garlic, which everyone said was to ward off a vampire he'd met in Romania and was afraid would be coming back to get him one of these days. His turban, he told them, had been given to him by an African prince as a thank-you for getting rid of a troublesome zombie, but they weren't sure they believed this story. For one thing, when Seamus Finnigan asked eagerly to hear how Quirrell had fought off the zombie, Quirrell went pink and started talking about the weather; **

"Good cover-up," laughed James.

**for another, they had noticed that a funny smell hung around the turban, and the Weasley twins insisted that it was stuffed full of garlic as well, so that Quirrell was protected wherever he went.**

Remus raised his eyebrows at this, he didn't know why but he didn't like Quirrell or his funky smelling turban that seemed to be mention too much for his liking.

**Harry was very relieved to find out that he wasn't miles behind everyone else. Lots of people had come from Muggle families and, like him, hadn't had any idea that they were witches and wizards. There was so much to learn that even people like Ron didn't have much of a head start.**

"'Specially since he's a lazy git," Ginny said.

"Hey," Ron huffed.

"Sorry mate, but it's true," Neville and Harry chuckled.

Hermione tried to cover her laughter with her hand, but that didn't really work.

**Friday was an important day for Harry and Ron. They finally managed to find their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast without getting lost once.**

Everybody from the past laughed, as well as most from the future, but Harry and Ron just pouted. It was a big castle!

"**What have we got today?" Harry asked Ron as he poured sugar on his porridge.**

"**Double Potions with the Slytherins," said Ron. "Snape's Head of Slytherin House. They say he always favors them — we'll be able to see if it's true."**

"Merlin if it wasn't bad enough to have Snape teach, you have to be in the same class as the Slytherins," Sirius said.

"You don't have much luck do you Harry."

"I think I have extreme luck both ways," Harry said, which just confused everyone.

"What?" Sirius asked.

"He's both very lucky and very misfortunate," Ron explained.

"He has a lot of ups and downs," Hermione went on. "But I would have to say he's more lucky than misfortunate."

"Why?" Ginny asked. He was in too much danger to be lucky, in her book.

"He survived," Luna said, frowning as if it were obvious.

"**Wish McGonagall favored us," said Harry.**

"Fat chance of that ever happening," Sirius laughed. "She like rules too much."

"Hasn't changed much has she," Neville smiled.

**Professor McGonagall was head of Gryffindor House, but it hadn't stopped her from giving them a huge pile of homework the day before.**

**Just then, the mail arrived. Harry had gotten used to this by now, but it had given him a bit of a shock on the first morning,**

"Me too," Lily said smiling.

**when about a hundred owls had suddenly streamed into the Great Hall during breakfast, circling the tables until they saw their owners, and dropping letters and packages onto their laps.**

**Hedwig hadn't brought Harry anything so far. She sometimes flew in to nibble his ear and have a bit of toast before going off to sleep in the owlery with the other school owls.**

"Aw, your owl seems sweet. She wants to cheer you up," Lily cooed.

"Yeah, she's great," Harry smiled; he really missed Hedwig.

**This morning, however, she fluttered down between the marmalade and the sugar bowl and dropped a note onto Harry's plate.**

**Harry tore it open at once. It said, in a very untidy scrawl:**

_**Dear Harry,**__  
><em>

_**I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three?**__  
><em>

_**I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig.**__  
><em>

_**Hagrid**_

"Good, I'm glad he's there for you," Lily smiled.

"I love Hagrid," James added.

"Me too," Harry agreed.

**Harry borrowed Ron's quill, scribbled ****Yes, please, see you later ****on the back of the note, and sent Hedwig off again.**  
><strong>It was lucky that Harry had tea with Hagrid to look forward to, because the Potions lesson turned out to be the worst thing that had happened to him so far.<strong>

"Oh joy," Frank and Lily both said.

**At the start-of-term banquet, Harry had gotten the idea that Professor Snape disliked him. By the end of the first Potions lesson, he knew he'd been wrong. Snape didn't dislike Harry — he ****hated ****him.**

"Oh, Sev, why do you have to hate him?" Lily said sadly.

"I didn't know you were close to Snape," Frank said. "I mean, everyone knows how much this lot and Snape fought but…"

"We were friends… but we grew apart," Lily said sadly.

"That's a little odd," Frank said. "I mean he was a Slytherin and he seemed to follow Voldemort's beliefs and you're a Muggle-born…"

"That's why it fell apart," Lily said and James wrapped his arms around her; he knew that he played a role in Lily's fallout with her friend, and even though he still hated the greasy git and he thought she was better off without him, he still felt bad about it (since it hurt her so much).

**Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder here than up in the main castle, and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls.**

**Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the roll call, and like Flitwick, he paused at Harry's name.**

"**Ah, Yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new — ****celebrity****."**

"And here begins my torture," Harry grimaced.

"Was it really that bad," Lily sighed, hoping the answer was no.

"It was worse," Ron said grimly. "Weekly torture."

**Draco Malfoy and his friends Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind their hands.  
><strong>

"I hate them," James announced. "I hate them all."

"I hate them, too. Well not Malfoy as much anymore, but still a bit."

**Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black like Hagrid's, but they had none of Hagrid's warmth. They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels.**

Lily laughed. That's exactly how she though of them, too.

"**You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. **

Ron drawled Snape's voice perfectly, making everyone laugh.

**He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word — like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort.**

"Stop comparing him to people we like, Harry," Sirius shouted, causing everyone to laugh.

"I didn't know you liked McGonagall," Frank said.

"Are you kidding?" Sirius laughed. "She's the best. It great to see how far you can push her before she breaks."

"Besides, after awhile we discovered that most of the times that we got in the most trouble was when she actually thought what we did was funny," James smiled.

"**As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, **

"Softly, simmering, shimmering. Poetry," Remus chuckled to himself while the rest of the Marauders, Lily, Alice, and Frank just looked at him strangely. The rest pretended not to have heard.

**the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death**

"That actually sounds pretty cool," Siriu admitted.

**- if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."**

"It wasn't that bad of a speech until he called you a bunch of dunderheads," Frank laughed.

**More silence followed this little speech. Harry and Ron exchanged looks with raised eyebrows. Hermione Granger was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead.**

"Of course, little miss perfect," Sirius said.

"Hey!" Ron exclaimed.

"**Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"**

"The Draught of the Living Death," Lily answered immediately. "But that's not a first year potion, Sev." She glared at the book. "Why can't you grow up?"

**Powdered root of what to an infusion of what****? Harry glanced at Ron, who looked as stumped as he was; Hermione's hand had shot into the air.**

Lily raised her eyes at that; this girl must have gotten an advance book if she knows the answer to that.

"**I don't know, sir," said Harry.**

**Snape's lips curled into a sneer.**

"**Tut, tut — fame clearly isn't everything."**

"Hmph," everyone harrumphed.

**He ignored Hermione's hand.**

"**Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"**

"In the stomach of a goat. At least that is taught in the first year," Lily said.

"Yeah but it not until the last term," Remus said.

"True," she frowned.

**Hermione stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without her leaving her seat, but Harry didn't have the faintest idea what a bezoar was. He tried not to look at Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, who were shaking with laughter.**

"Like they would know," James scoffed.

"**I don't know, sir."**

"**Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?"**

"Oh, yeah," Jasmes glared. "Add insult to injury."

"Kick him while he's down," Sirius added.

**Harry forced himself to keep looking straight into those cold eyes. He had looked through his books at the Dursleys', but did Snape expect him to remember everything in **_**One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi**__**?**_

"At least he knows what book its in."

**Snape was still ignoring Hermione's quivering hand.**

"**What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"**

"No fair, that's a trick question," Lily said. "There the same thing, which also goes by the name of aconite. And that's not taught until third year. God, Sev. What is WRONG with you?"

**At this, Hermione stood up, her hand stretching toward the dungeon ceiling.**

"Man she really is eager, isn't she?" Sirius laugh. "Lily did you know these answers in first year."

"Yes, but probably not the first class."

"So this girl is worse then you and Remus combined."

"I'm right here!" Hermone called, a bit offended.

"…Right…" Sirius said, suddenly finding the ground quite interesting.

"**I don't know," said Harry quietly. "I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try her?"**

"That's right son, don't take this laying down!" James cheered.

"He definitely has Lily's cheek," Sirius laughed.

**A few people laughed; Harry caught Seamus's eye, and Seamus winked. Snape, however, was not pleased.**

"**Sit down," he snapped at Hermione. "For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"**

"Because you didn't tell them to," Frank retorted.

**There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment. Over the noise, Snape said, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter."**

"That's not fair," Sirius pouted.

"Actually it wasn't that bad," Harry shrugged. "I did kind of talk back."

"But he totally goaded you," Alice said indignantly. Teachers should not act like that.

**Things didn't improve for the Gryffindors as the Potions lesson continued. Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except Malfoy, whom he seemed to like.**

"Of course he would. People of the same type get along." Sirius said scathingly.

"So why is smart, nice, normal Remus hanging out with you lot?" Hermione asked innocently, getting her revenge.

"OI!"

**He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Malfoy had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.**

"Poor Neville," Lily sighed.

"**Idiot boy!"**

"Hey don't you dare say that!" Alice shouted. While Lily snarled "Snape! That's no way to talk to kids."

"I think Slughorn was a better teacher; he might have picked his favorites, but at least he was nice enough to the rest of us too," Remus said.

"I never understand why you weren't one of his favorites Remus," Lily said kindly. He was always the Marauder she could get along with best. In fact she would have to say she considered him her friend since about their third year.

"It's really not that hard to figure out; I was a werewolf, so I didn't have much of a future," Remus said, and the two other marauders huffed.

"Is that why you dislike Slughorn so much," Lily smiled at James. When he nodded, she continued. "If nothing else James, you are a good friend."

**snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"**

**Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose.**

"**Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat at Seamus. Then he rounded on Harry and Ron, who had been working next to Neville.**

"**You — Potter — why didn't you tell him not to add the quills?**

"Because that's not his job," Lily huffed indignantly, wondering what on earth happened to her former best friend.

**Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor."**

"Now that is completely unfair!" Sirius shouted.

"I couldn't agree with you more," James said venomously.

"That's horrible," Alice added.

**This was so unfair that Harry opened his mouth to argue, but Ron kicked him behind their cauldron.**

"**Don't push it," he muttered, "I've heard Snape can turn very nasty."**

"And he really can," Sirius muttered.

**As they climbed the steps out of the dungeon an hour later, Harry's mind was racing and his spirits were low. He'd lost two points for Gryffindor in his very first week**

"Two points," James scoffed. "That's nothing."

—**why ****did Snape hate him so much?**

"Sorry, its my fault," James said.

"He should still be adult enough not to take it out on your kid," Lily scolded angrily. "Especially after we're DEAD!

"And what has Neville done to deserve his wrath." Alice asked scathingly.

"That was just his anti-Gryffindor and all the other houses coming out," Sirius sighed.

"**Cheer up," said Ron, "Snape's always taking points off Fred and George. Can I come and meet Hagrid with you?"**

"Maybe Ron isn't as clueless as Sirius," Lily teased.

"Not necessarily, Sirius is good at making you cheer up when you're upset," Remus said.

"Ron's good at that too," Harry smiled. Ron just blushed.

**At five to three they left the castle and made their way across the grounds. Hagrid lived in a small wooden house on the edge of the forbidden forest. A crossbow and a pair of galoshes were outside the front door.**

**When Harry knocked they heard a frantic scrabbling from inside and several booming barks. Then Hagrid's voice rang out, saying, "****Back****, Fang —****back****."**

"Ah. I love Fang. He's so cute."

"Not as cute as I am when I'm in dog form, though." Sirius said, waggling his eyebrows.

"Oh, I'm sure." Lily laughed.

**Hagrid's big, hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door open.**

"**Hang on," he said. "****Back****, Fang."**

**He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound.**

**There was only one room inside. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling, a copper kettle was boiling on the open fire, and in the corner stood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it.**

"I love Hagrid's place, too."

"**Make yerselves at home," said Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who bounded straight at Ron and started licking his ears. **

Lily laughed, "He did that to you, Remus, didn't he? The last time we went to see Hagrid?"

Remus grinned, nodding, "Yeah."

"When did you guys go and see Hagrid?" James asked.

"And why didn't you take us with you?" Sirius added, looking hurt.

"Because I didn't like you, then," Lily laughed at their fake hurt faces.

"Oh."

**Like Hagrid, Fang was clearly not as fierce as he looked.**

"Yeah, his name sounds dangerous so he's harmless; it's the normal or cute sounding named creatures you have to worry about," Remus laughed.

"**This is Ron," Harry told Hagrid, who was pouring boiling water into a large teapot and putting rock cakes onto a plate.**

"**Another Weasley, eh?" said Hagrid, glancing at Ron's freckles.**

"Oh, way to make him feel special Hagrid," Lily said sarcastically.

"**I spent half me life chasin' yer twin brothers away from the forest."**

**The rock cakes were shapeless lumps with raisins that almost broke their teeth, but Harry and Ron pretended to be enjoying them as they told Hagrid all about their first lessons.**

"Yeah, Hagrid's cooking is not the best."

**Fang rested his head on Harry's knee and drooled all over his robes.**

**Harry and Ron were delighted to hear Hagrid call Filch "that old git."**

"**An' as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang sometime. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her — Filch puts her up to it."**

"That's horrible."

**Harry told Hagrid about Snape's lesson. Hagrid, like Ron, told Harry not to worry about it, that Snape liked hardly any of the students.**

"**But he seemed to really ****hate ****me."**

"**Rubbish!" said Hagrid. "Why should he?"**

**Yet Harry couldn't help thinking that Hagrid didn't quite meet his eyes when he said that.**

"Yeah, Hagrid would know about his hatred for me," James laughed hollowly.

"Hagrid never was a good lair," Remus smiled.

"**How's yer brother Charlie?" Hagrid asked Ron. "I liked him a lot — great with animals."**

"He's not very subtle in his diversion tactics," Remus laughed.

**Harry wondered if Hagrid had changed the subject on purpose. While Ron told Hagrid all about Charlie's work with dragons, Harry picked up a piece of paper that was lying on the table under the tea cozy. It was a cutting from the ****Daily Prophet****:**

_**GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST**_

"And in about six years, that story will be about how Harry broke in." Sirius grinned.

Lily smiled sadly, nodding her head slowly, "As much as I don't want it to happen, I feel like it will."

_**Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown. Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day.**__  
><em>

_"__**But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokesgoblin this afternoon.**__  
><em>

"Yes, goblins really are charming aren't they," Fred laughed.

**Harry remembered Ron telling him on the train that someone had tried to rob Gringotts, but Ron hadn't mentioned the date.**

"**Hagrid!" said Harry, "that Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!"**

"Wait!" Lily said, "What date did you say again, Ron?"

"Er..." Ron said, looking back up the page, "July 31st!"

"That's Harry's birthday." Lily grinned. "July 31st."

"Hey wait it's not July 31 today, I want my money back," Sirius said not really caring about the money.

"Well, it is from my prospective," Harry said. "I left my time on my birthday."

"Okay," Sirius conceded.

**There was no doubt about it, Hagrid definitely didn't meet Harry's eyes this time. He grunted and offered him another rock cake. Harry read the story again. ****The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied earlier that same day. ****Hagrid had emptied vault seven hundred and thirteen, if you could call it emptying, taking out that grubby little package. Had that been what the thieves were looking for?**

"See you put the pieces together pretty fast yourself," Remus said to Harry.

"Not like you guys did though," Harry pouted.

"They had help," Ginny comforted him.

**As Harry and Ron walked back to the castle for dinner, their pockets weighed down with rock cakes they'd been too polite to refuse, Harry thought that none of the lessons he'd had so far had given him as much to think about as tea with Hagrid. Had Hagrid collected that package just in time? Where was it now? **

"My guess is Hogwarts." Lily said. Remus nodded.

**And did Hagrid know something about Snape that he didn't want to tell Harry?**

"That it," Ron said. "Who wants to read next?" he asked.

"I will," said Alice, realizing that she was one of the only four people that hadn't read. "Alright, **'The Midnight Duel,'"**

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><p><strong>*Shoves a microphone into a random viewers face* <strong>So, did you LOVE IT? Did you HATE IT? Are you going to THROW BANANAS AT ME? Haha,** REVIEW PLEASE!  
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